Spanish government makes over 300 Tezanos pollsters permanent via company linked to Ábalos
Spain's government is making more than 300 CIS pollsters permanent through a tender tailored to Tragaustec, a company linked to Ábalos and Jésica.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
300 Tezanos pollsters made permanent via Ábalos-linked company
More than 300 workers at Spain's Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) will become permanent staff through a public tender seemingly tailored to the company Tragaustec, a subsidiary of Traga — the same firm where former minister Ábalos placed his ex-partner Jésica. The story, published by ABC on 11 May 2026, has sparked criticism over yet another case of political cronyism.
A tender built to fit
According to the complaint, the tender's terms make it impossible for an outsider to win the post. The government, which doubled the CIS budget at the start of Sánchez's term, is thus strengthening its polling capacity while the perception of impunity grows. "They laugh in our faces," is how reactions sum it up. "This is no longer democracy, it's feudalism," other commentators add, speaking of plundering and a political mafia.
The Ábalos and Jésica connection
Tragaustec already made headlines when it emerged that former minister José Luis Ábalos had placed his friend Jésica Rodríguez at the company. Now the same firm has become the vehicle for making CIS pollsters permanent, in a new episode of public-sector capture.
The open question is whether there will be any legal consequences or whether, as so often, the political class will get off scot-free while mocking citizens.
Related discussions in the forum
More than 300 workers at Spain's Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) will become permanent staff through a public tender seemingly tailored to the company Tragaustec, a subsidiary of Traga — the same firm where former minister Ábalos placed his ex-partner Jésica. The story, published by ABC on 11 May 2026, has sparked criticism over yet another case of political cronyism.
A tender built to fit
According to the complaint, the tender's terms make it impossible for an outsider to win the post. The government, which doubled the CIS budget at the start of Sánchez's term, is thus strengthening its polling capacity while the perception of impunity grows. "They laugh in our faces," is how reactions sum it up. "This is no longer democracy, it's feudalism," other commentators add, speaking of plundering and a political mafia.
The Ábalos and Jésica connection
Tragaustec already made headlines when it emerged that former minister José Luis Ábalos had placed his friend Jésica Rodríguez at the company. Now the same firm has become the vehicle for making CIS pollsters permanent, in a new episode of public-sector capture.
The open question is whether there will be any legal consequences or whether, as so often, the political class will get off scot-free while mocking citizens.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (5 replies).
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