Why millions of Spaniards keep voting PSOE despite the scandals

Loyalty to the PSOE withstands corruption: the profile of the voter who won't budge

How is it possible that a significant part of the socialist electorate continues to vote for Spain's PSOE after the judicial scandals affecting its leadership? The answer, according to an analysis of the most loyal voter profiles, comes down to two ingredients: dependence on public benefits and a set of arguments that downplays corruption.

The lesser-evil argument
Among voters who refuse to abandon the PSOE, the most repeated refrain is "the others steal more". They do not deny the court cases that besmirch the party, but they frame them as a widespread evil. Corruption takes a back seat when the alternative is losing a pension, a public job or a subsidy. It is a cost-benefit logic in which loyalty is paid for with the handout.

The captive voter: pensioners and civil servants
The data points to two groups as the most immune to the scandals: pensioners, who receive a benefit that the party in power can adjust, and public employees, whose salaries and conditions depend on the state budget. For them, the PSOE is not just a party: it is the guarantee that the tap will not be turned off. Ideology weighs less than material interest.

The reasoning is cynical but functional: as long as the monthly transfer arrives, the indictment of a relative or the shadow of an alleged crime is filed away as "lawfare". Judges, the press and the opposition are, for this voter, part of a conspiracy.

Closing note: As long as the handout keeps coming, the PSOE can sleep soundly. Corruption does not move the captive electorate; only spending cuts would.