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 doesn’t perish in a single chaotic instance; it gradually deteriorates, bit by bit, controversy by controversy, justification by justification. By opting for retaliation instead of openness, Sánchez not only safeguards his political assets—he is undermining the very democratic principles he professes to uphold.
The Real Cost
If the goal of Sánchez’s response was to project strength and unity, the result has been the opposite. The Spanish public sees through the thin veil of staged narratives. Voters are not looking for a king behind a curtain but for a leader willing to confront the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
Pedro Sánchez might manage to weather this controversy politically, as he has done in the past, but at what expense? The enduring harm to confidence, the suppression of dissenting voices within the PSOE, and the intimidating impact on informants are consequences that Spain will endure for years ahead.
In a democracy, the measure of leaders is not in their moments of success, but in their reactions to emergencies. Regarding the WhatsApp leaks, Pedro Sánchez has not passed this evaluation—opting for authoritarianism rather than democratic values.
