Spain’s electoral board opens proceedings against Sanchez

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 16, 2026

Spain’s Central Electoral Board has launched disciplinary proceedings against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for using a government press conference to announce housing legislation during the election campaign. This move underscores ongoing concerns about maintaining neutrality in state institutions and prevents the use of official platforms for campaign purposes ahead of the November 29 snap election.

Spain’s Central Electoral Board (JEC) has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez following a press conference held on October 6 after a cabinet meeting, officials said. The JEC’s action requires the removal of Sanchez’s statements from official government channels and instructs the prime minister to avoid similar conduct during the ongoing election campaign.

The move comes after the opposition People’s Party (PP) lodged a complaint accusing Sanchez of using government resources and platforms to deliver messages with a campaign orientation. The press conference in question was used by Sanchez to announce new housing legislation shortly after he called a snap election for November 29, following the failure of those housing decrees in parliament.

The JEC’s intervention highlights continuing concerns about the neutrality of state institutions during election periods, a subject that frequently prompts political disputes even when such cases result solely in administrative penalties. At issue is whether incumbents leverage their official positions and government events to advance their electoral campaigns after elections have been formally called.

This is not the first instance in which Sanchez has faced sanctions from the electoral authority. In January 2020, he was fined €500 (approximately $560) for a televised interview posted on a government website. More recently, in October 2023, Sanchez received a €2,200 fine following a press conference in Brussels held on July 23 during the election campaign, where he highlighted government successes and criticized political opponents.

The JEC has also previously fined Carlos Fernández Carriedo, a spokesperson for the PP’s regional government, €2,200 for remarks made during a post-cabinet press conference in 2023, demonstrating that the electoral board’s scrutiny extends across party lines. The board’s actions underscore the ongoing challenges in maintaining a clear separation between official government communication and electoral campaigning in Spain’s highly competitive political environment.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.