In December 2025, Spain was rocked by an unprecedented political scandal involving not only corruption, but also sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by high-ranking members of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which traditionally considers itself one of the main defenders of gender equality in the country.
In the summer, audio recordings were made public in which former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and his assistant discussed arranging meetings with sex workers using vulgar language. These recordings surfaced in the context of a broader corruption investigation (known as Caso Koldo), which had already given rise to criticism both within and outside the PSOE.
Shortly afterwards, and following allegations of sexual harassment, one of Prime Minister Francisco Salazar’s closest advisers resigned, although the party leadership was criticised for ignoring reports of his behaviour for many months.
As a result, the scandal went beyond isolated incidents and turned into a real crisis for the PSOE. The party went on the defensive, restricting its members’ use of sex workers (although Spanish law does not explicitly prohibit this) and tightening internal protocols to combat harassment.
This episode proved particularly painful for the PSOE for several reasons. Before the scandal, the party had positioned itself as a defender of women’s rights and gender equality. Now, however, it found itself at the centre of allegations of sexual misconduct by its own members, which, of course, had a negative impact on its ‘moral image.’
In 2018, upon becoming prime minister, Pedro Sánchez appointed 11 women and 6 men to his cabinet, stating that his PSOE was ‘unmistakably committed to equality’ and reflected recent changes in Spanish society. According to polls, women made up a significant portion of the PSOE’s electorate. Now, experts warn that the loss of support among female voters could seriously affect the results of future elections.
Right-wing and centrist forces are sure to use these cases to attack Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stepping up opposition criticism, demanding his resignation and threatening early elections, which would increase political instability in the country.
Spain has become an example of how publicised allegations of sexual harassment within one’s own party can escalate into a major political crisis, weakening the ruling coalition’s position and calling into question its future electoral prospects.
However, scandals involving politicians’ sexual behaviour are far from unique to Europe. In recent years, similar stories have erupted in other European countries, affecting political life at the national and European levels.
Cases of inappropriate behaviour are also not uncommon in the European Parliament. An anonymous survey conducted by the MeTooEP activist group in 2023 showed that about 15.5% of employees reported sexual harassment, although only a small proportion of such cases were officially recorded. The sanctions imposed included fines and temporary suspensions of powers for some MEPs.
In particular, German MP Malte Halle was forced to resign in 2024 after allegations of harassment of employees and interns. Greek MP Alexis Georgoulis was expelled from left-wing groups after allegations of rape, which he denied. German politician Karoline Brunsberger-Reinhold was removed from the national list for the elections after complaints from staff.
These cases show that even at the level of an international representative body, where high standards of conduct are declared, the practice of responding to sexual misconduct is often flawed. Disciplinary conclusions may be belated, and internal complaint mechanisms may remain ineffective. The positive public perception of government institutions is undermined.
The profound consequences of sexual scandals in politics go far beyond the personal responsibility of individual figures and directly affect trust in parties and state institutions. Allegations of harassment often lead to resignations, expulsions from party lists and refusals to stand for re-election, exacerbating the general crisis of confidence in traditional political elites.
At the same time, such scandals provide impetus for institutional change and a re-evaluation of political culture. Under pressure from public opinion, parties and parliaments are forced to tighten standards of conduct, create formal mechanisms for investigating complaints, and demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility, as is the case, for example, in the European Parliament. In this sense, despite their destructive effect, sex scandals are part of a broader process of rethinking the norms and expectations placed on modern European authorities.