Spain continues to address corruption concerns with significant judicial and governmental actions. A notable development involves the Spanish judicial system, which concluded 13 anti-corruption procedures in the second quarter of 2024, resulting in the conviction of 53 individuals and entities. These cases, spanning bribery and embezzlement, reflect ongoing efforts to enhance transparency, with authorities reporting a total of 500 million euros ($624 million) linked to public works contracts under scrutiny. Separately, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) released a follow-up report this week, criticizing Spain for insufficient progress on reforms since 2019, particularly regarding the regulation of lobbying and protections for top executives. The report highlights that only four of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities and two cities maintain operational anti-fraud agencies. In response, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a 15-point action plan on July 9, 2025, including the use of artificial intelligence to detect fraud in public sector procurement and the establishment of a national integrity agency. Additionally, a new corruption probe involving the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party led to the resignation of Santos Cerdán, a senior official, on June 12, 2025, amid allegations of 620,000 euros ($731,000) in bribes related to contract awards. These efforts indicate a multifaceted approach to tackling corruption, with further developments anticipated.
