Spanish PM Sanchez denies knowing about plot to derail corruption probes into his party


FILE PHOTO: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez holds a press conference at the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican after meeting Pope Leo XIV, in Rome, Italy, May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Francesco Fotia/File Photo

MADRID, June 5 (Reuters) - Spanish ⁠Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday denied knowing about ⁠an alleged plot to derail investigations into corruption cases ‌dogging his Socialist Party, saying he was disappointed and outraged by it.

Last week, a High Court judge ordered the surrender of various documents and electronic files ​from party headquarters in a probe centring ⁠on former Sanchez ally Santos ⁠Cerdan - the Socialists' former organisation secretary - along with other party officials, ⁠lawyers, ‌a businessman and a police officer.

They are suspected of attempting to influence administrative decisions and undermine any judicial ⁠proceedings or police actions affecting the interests of ​the Socialist Party ‌or the government. Cerdan denies wrongdoing.

"I never endorsed it, nor ⁠did I ​ever have any information or knowledge of something I would never have tolerated," Sanchez told reporters on arrival at a European Union summit ⁠in Montenegro.

He said his government was "clean" and ​the party's legal team was analysing all court documents related to the case.

"My party has integrity and the corruption only involves a ⁠few people," Sanchez said.

The premier, who came to power eight years ago by ousting a corruption-plagued centre-right government on the promise of cleaning up politics, is under fire even from allies for ​the slew of graft cases making their ⁠way through Spain's courts.

Sanchez himself has not been named in any ​of the cases and has said ‌they are a part of a ​campaign to oust him.

(Reporting by Javi West Larrañaga, David Latona, Emma Pinedo and Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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