Politics · Spain · 3 days ago
Judge delays decision on investigating Spain’s PSOE in Leire Díez case
Spain’s National Court judge Santiago Pedraz has decided not to make the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, or PSOE, a formal suspect for now in the Leire Díez case.
The request came from a popular accusation, which alleged that the party was behind a scheme involving Díez, a former party employee.
The allegations include payments to Díez and attempts to disrupt judicial or police investigations affecting the party or the government.
Pedraz said there is not yet enough evidence of failures in the party’s controls or a direct benefit to the organisation.
He has ordered more inquiries, including an examination of documents seized from the home and office of former party official Santos Cerdán.
Investigators will look at who approved and made the alleged payments, how they were recorded and what internal controls applied.
The new inquiries will help the judge decide later whether the PSOE should be formally investigated.
National Court judge Santiago Pedraz has postponed a decision on whether to investigate the PSOE as a legal entity in the Leire Díez case.
He said there is not currently enough initial evidence of structural control failures or direct benefit to the party.
Pedraz ordered further investigative steps, including analysis of documents seized from Santos Cerdán’s home and office.
The judge wants to clarify Cerdán’s powers in the party and who authorized and made the payments under investigation.
The request to investigate the PSOE was made by the popular accusation, which Article 2 identifies as the PP.
- Who
- National Court judge Santiago Pedraz is deciding whether the PSOE should be investigated as a legal entity.
- What
- He rejected the request for now and ordered further investigative steps before deciding.
- When
- 9 October 2026. The ruling was issued that morning.
- Where
- Spain’s National Court.
- Why
- Pedraz said there was not enough initial evidence of structural control failures or benefit to the PSOE, and that more evidence must be examined.
The popular accusation, identified by El País as the PP
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Basis for investigating the PSOE
The popular accusation, identified by El País as the PP
The accusation argued that the party was behind the alleged Leire Díez operation.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Pedraz said there was not currently enough initial evidence to make the PSOE an investigated party.
Evidence needed
The popular accusation, identified by El País as the PP
The accusation sought an investigation into alleged bribery, influence peddling, money laundering, embezzlement and illegal party financing.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Pedraz said further inquiries were needed into party controls, payments and the seized documents.
Anticorruption prosecutors argued against making the PSOE an investigated party for now.
Judge Beatriz Biedma testified as a witness at the National Court.
Pedraz ordered further investigative steps and deferred deciding whether to investigate the PSOE.
- Judge
- Santiago Pedraz
- Party at issue
- PSOE
- Case
- Leire Díez case
- Documents to be examined
- Materials seized from Santos Cerdán’s office and home
- Requested offences
- Bribery, influence peddling, money laundering, embezzlement and illegal party financing
What people are saying
currently there is not enough initial evidence to demonstrate structural control failures or a direct benefit to the organization
what real powers Santos Cerdán had within the party structure
Sources
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