PP Shields PSOE from European Probe

PP Aligns with PSOE to Halt European Investigation

The vote in the European Parliament has painted a clear picture: the PP voted against initiating an investigation into alleged corruption and electoral manipulation within the PSOE. The news, reported by various media outlets, reinforces the perception of a de facto coalition between the two major Spanish parties in Brussels. According to data, PP and PSOE have voted identically almost 90% of the time in the last five years, leading formations like Vox to denounce complicity. A censure motion offered by Junts was rejected by the PP, which prefers dealing with the PSOE over an uncomfortable ally.

A De Facto Coalition in Brussels

The data published by Gaceta.es indicates that the alignment between the Popular and Socialist parties in the European Parliament is almost total: 90% of coincident votes in the last legislative term. This practice has been criticized by Vox, which has accused both parties of voting together for policies detrimental to the Spanish people. The PP's rejection of the corruption and electoral manipulation investigation falls within this dynamic, where both parties prefer to avoid scrutiny regarding possible links to episodes of fraud.

Foreign Voter Registry: The Powder Keg of 'Rigging'

Another point of tension is the increase in the number of voters abroad. The so-called 'grandchildren law' has driven up registrations in the CERA (Central Registry of Foreign Voters) to 2,736,522—an increase that could alter the outcome of upcoming general elections. According to The Objective, this vote could change up to 23 seats. The capital of Madrid already has 422,732 voters abroad, representing 15% of its total registry. The Supreme Court has blocked government attempts to facilitate voting without sufficient guarantees, but concern remains.

Digital ID and Identity Theft

The controversy extends to the voting process. The Government has promoted the use of its miDGT application for identity validation in elections, removing controls previously required by the Police. However, El Debate has demonstrated how easy it is to impersonate someone through simulating the app, without being able to prove the fraud. This fact has been denounced as an open door to 'rigging'.

Feijóo and the Motion of Censure: The Gesture That Says It All

The PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has rejected Junts' offer to remove Pedro Sánchez through a 'instrumental' motion of censure that would not count on him as a candidate. Feijóo has admitted feeling closer to the socialist president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, than to Vox, and has made it clear that if he needed votes, he would turn to the PSOE. These movements underscore the convergence between the two parties while accusations of electoral fraud multiply.

The relationship between the PP and PSOE has grown stronger in Brussels and Madrid. With a foreign registry at maximum capacity and digital tools under question, the next electoral cycle presents itself as fertile ground for distrust. Meanwhile, the citizenry watches a spectacle in which the opposition seems more interested in blocking investigation than demanding transparency. The PP has its reasons; the PSOE has theirs. And the voter has his.