Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is facing fierce criticism following a parliamentary appearance in Madrid where he defended his administration against allegations of breakdown.
Journalist and academic Francisco Marhuenda stated that Spain's Socialist-led coalition government is in an unquestionable state of agony following four consecutive electoral defeats and an uninterrupted series of setbacks.
Sanchez, who leads the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, retains the executive authority to decide whether to call early general elections. However, critics argue his administration has entered the final phase of its governing cycle.
Writing in a commentary published on Thursday, Marhuenda argued that observers across the political spectrum are unrealistic if they expect Sanchez to recover politically and retain power in the next general election.
Parliamentary address and Morocco relations
The criticism follows an appearance by Sanchez in the Congress of Deputies on Wednesday. Marhuenda characterized the prime minister's address as lamentable, claiming Sanchez attempted to present a falsely self-complacent narrative that portrayed his government as exemplary.
During the session, Sanchez described Morocco as a faithful ally that had no knowledge of recent events along the border. Marhuenda pointed out that no official order or decree from the Moroccan government has been published in its official state gazette ordering an invasion of the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, allowing Sanchez to assert that no formal evidence exists against Rabat.
Ceuta is a Spanish enclave located on the North African coast bordering Morocco. The border between Spain and Morocco remains a recurring focal point of diplomatic discussions and security monitoring for Spanish authorities.
Marhuenda asserted that Sanchez is ignoring obvious evidence, photographs, hybrid warfare tactics, and intelligence reports. He claimed that the prime minister has effectively become a hostage of the King of Morocco, attributing the situation either to internal weakness or to the Pegasus spyware scandal.
Pegasus is an advanced mobile surveillance tool developed by an Israeli technology company that was previously reported to have breached the phones of high-ranking Spanish government officials.
Criticism of interior minister
The commentary directed severe criticism at Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Marhuenda described Grande-Marlaska as incompetent and conceited, calling him the worst interior minister in Spanish history.
Grande-Marlaska, a former magistrate who served on Spain's high court before joining the cabinet in 2018, was accused by Marhuenda of acting primarily as a political shield and flatterer for Sanchez. Marhuenda stated that the minister reached high office through social connections and prioritized official status over ideological principles.
Marhuenda also noted that Sanchez failed to persuade his parliamentary partners and allies during his appearance. He added that Sanchez could only count on applause from Patxi Lopez, the Socialist spokesman in the Congress of Deputies, whom Marhuenda accused of aligning with the highest bidder.
Economic history and political outlook
Marhuenda accused Sanchez of relying on massive lies and data manipulation while ignoring the severe economic difficulties left by former Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who led the Spanish government from 2004 to 2011.
According to Marhuenda, Sanchez understands that his government is politically finished. He stated that the prime minister's primary objective is now focused on securing an election result that would allow him to stay on as leader of the opposition and head of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party.
Marhuenda is a full member of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation of Spain and the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain, as well as a corresponding academician of the Royal Academy of History and a professor of public law and history of institutions at UNIE University in Madrid.
