Politics · Spain · 13 hrs ago
Court delays reduce requested sentences in corruption cases involving former PP officials
Spain’s National Court has years of delays in holding trials, especially in large corruption cases.
The delays have benefited former officials from the People’s Party, or PP, including Francisco Granados and Ignacio González, both once close to Madrid’s former regional leader Esperanza Aguirre.
Prosecutors can seek lower punishment when proceedings have taken too long, and the measure has been applied or requested in several major cases.
In González’s first trial in the Lezo case, the prosecutor cut the requested prison term from six years to five after the case had waited five years for trial.
Prosecutors say these reductions are becoming almost routine, while a lawyer says a lack of extra staff contributes to the backlog.
The delays weaken public confidence in justice and may also affect future cases, including investigations involving the Socialist Party; prosecutors have called for steps to speed up court proceedings.
Delays at Spain’s National Court have led prosecutors to reduce requested prison sentences in corruption cases involving former officials of the People’s Party.
Prosecutors say the mitigating factor of undue delays is being applied almost systematically in major cases.
In the latest example, prosecutor Ana Cuenca reduced the requested sentence for former Madrid regional president Ignacio González from six years to five in the Lezo case.
The court’s backlog has also affected cases including Gürtel, Púnica, Kitchen and the City of Justice.
Prosecutors and legal professionals have called for measures to speed up proceedings.
- Who
- Former People’s Party officials accused or convicted of corruption, including Ignacio González. Prosecutors have reduced or sought reductions in their requested sentences.
- What
- Court delays have led to reduced requested prison terms through the mitigating factor of undue delays.
- When
- The latest reported reduction was announced on the Thursday before the article was published on November 8, 2026. Other reductions were reported in recent months.
- Where
- Spain’s National Court.
- Why
- Long delays in holding trials have led courts to consider undue delays as a mitigating factor. The sources cite a lack of additional resources, especially in investigative courts.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Cases including Gürtel, Púnica and Lezo came to trial, according to lawyer Ángel Galindo.
Anti-Corruption prosecutors reduced requested punishments for former PP officials, including Pedro Calvo Poch and Juan Bravo.
Ignacio González had been waiting for his first Lezo trial.
Prosecutor Ana Cuenca reduced the requested sentence for González from six years to five.
- National Court
- Spain
- Ignacio González
- Requested sentence reduced from 6 years to 5 years
- González's other pending trials
- Prosecutors are seeking a further 12 years in prison
- Wait for González's first Lezo trial
- 5 years
- Cases cited
- Lezo, Púnica, City of Justice, Kitchen and Gürtel
What people are saying
They have been waiting five years for a trial. This is not attributable to the court, the prosecutor or the defense. But the accused should not have to suffer it either.
It is undoubtedly one of the scourges that damage the effectiveness and the credibility of the Administration of Justice itself.
It is unacceptable that cases such as Gürtel, Púnica or Lezo are tried 14 or 16 years after the events. That is not justice for the accused either.