Politics · Spain · 7 hrs ago
Spain’s electoral authority opens case over Sánchez video at Reina Sofía
Spain’s electoral authority opened a case against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over a video filmed at Madrid’s Reina Sofía museum.
The video, posted on 24 October, showed Sánchez speaking in front of Picasso’s Guernica about foreign policy and his government’s record.
The People’s Party complained that making a campaign-style video inside a public museum used public resources for electoral purposes.
The authority said the recording and its distribution may have breached election law, which restricts public bodies from supporting electoral messaging.
It ordered Sánchez to remove the video from social media and avoid similar use of resources during the election period; one account said the video had already been taken down.
The case is an open proceeding, not a stated final finding, and the authority also reminded Sánchez and the museum to remain institutionally neutral during the election period.
Spain’s Central Electoral Board opened a disciplinary case against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over a campaign video filmed at Madrid’s Reina Sofía museum.
The board said the video may have breached electoral rules against public authorities using public resources for electoral purposes.
It accepted a complaint from the opposition People’s Party and told Sánchez to remove the video from social media and avoid similar use of public resources during the election period.
The video showed Sánchez discussing Spain’s international policy in front of Picasso’s Guernica and comparing his government’s positions with those of other political actors.
Sánchez’s legal team said the remarks were a general reflection on foreign policy and contained no electoral messages or requests for votes.
- Who
- Spain’s Central Electoral Board opened a case involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, following a complaint by the People’s Party.
- What
- The board said a video filmed by Sánchez at the Reina Sofía museum may have breached electoral rules on use of public resources.
- When
- The board made its decision on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The video was published on 24 October.
- Where
- The Reina Sofía museum in Madrid, in front of Picasso’s Guernica.
- Why
- The board considered that public facilities and resources may have been used for electoral content.
People’s Party
Sánchez’s legal team
Use of public resources
People’s Party
The party argued that filming an electoral-content video in a national museum improperly used public resources and breached electoral neutrality rules.
Sánchez’s legal team
The legal team said the remarks were a general presentation of Spain’s principles and positions on foreign policy, not electoral messaging.
Purpose of the video
People’s Party
The party considered the video a review of the government’s record that contrasted its decisions with those of other political actors.
Sánchez’s legal team
The legal team said it contained no electoral messages, requests for votes or attacks on competing parties.
The video was filmed at the Reina Sofía museum.
The video was published on Sánchez’s personal account on X.
The Central Electoral Board accepted the People’s Party complaint and opened a disciplinary case against Sánchez.
- People’s Party
- Complainant
- Central Electoral Board
- Authority that opened the case
- Pedro Sánchez
- Prime minister featured in the video
- Reina Sofía museum
- Filming location in Madrid
- 13 October 2026
- Video filming date
- 24 October 2026
- Video publication date
3 sources
What people are saying
proceed to remove the reported video from the social media profiles on which it has been shared and refrain from actions during the electoral period that could involve taking advantage of the public resources available to him by virtue of his office
a reflection on Spain’s position on international policy, the defence of multilateralism, the peaceful resolution of conflicts and respect for human rights, without incorporating electoral messages, requests for votes or disqualifications of the political formations competing in the elections
when some were betting on bombs, we said no to war
when many remained silent, we denounced the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza