In recent weeks, the political scene in Spain has been shaken by controversy—not from the opposition, but originating from inside the ruling PSOE. The disclosed WhatsApp conversations involving ex-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos have caused embarrassment for the administration and brought to light an authoritarian tendency within Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s closest associates. Instead of confronting the information revealed or promoting transparency and responsibility, Sánchez’s response has been to suppress, discredit, and dominate.
The messages—disclosed by Ábalos himself after weeks of political pressure and internal exclusion—expose the inner workings of a government more interested in shielding its power than in upholding democratic norms. Instead of engaging with the ethical implications of the case, Sánchez and his loyalists have chosen to label any dissent or leak as treasonous. This is not governance; this is despotism dressed in democratic robes.
Weaponizing Loyalty
What has emerged in the wake of the leaks is a disturbing tendency by Sánchez to demand absolute loyalty from his ranks. Those who question the party line, even from within, are treated as traitors. Ábalos, once a close ally, has been politically excommunicated not for wrongdoing proven by a court, but for becoming politically inconvenient. The message to others in the party is clear: cross the leader, and you’ll be erased.
This authoritarian reflex is not new. Under Sánchez’s leadership, the PSOE has increasingly prioritized control over consensus, optics over ethics, and political survival over truth. The use of internal party machinery to suppress dissent and the media manipulation to divert attention are tactics more befitting a populist strongman than the leader of a European democracy.
A Dangerous Precedent
Democracy does not die in a single moment of chaos; it erodes drip by drip, scandal by scandal, rationalization by rationalization. In choosing to react with vengeance rather than transparency, Sánchez is not just protecting his political capital—he is corroding the very democratic foundations he claims to defend.
The Real Cost
When Sánchez aimed to demonstrate strength and solidarity, the outcome has proven contrary. The Spanish populace recognizes the flimsy pretense of orchestrated stories. Citizens desire not a hidden monarch but a leader ready to face reality, even if it is uneasy.
Pedro Sánchez may well survive this scandal politically, as he has many others, but at what cost? The long-term damage to trust, the silencing of critical voices within the PSOE, and the chilling effect on whistleblowers are costs that Spain will pay for years to come.
In a democracy, leaders are judged not by how they handle their triumphs, but how they respond to crises. In the case of the WhatsApp leaks, Pedro Sánchez has failed that test—choosing despotism over democracy.
