Sánchez entrenches himself, resolves crisis by expelling Ábalos and Cerdán, challenges Feijóo to a no-confidence motion

"It's five o'clock and I haven't eaten." After delaying his appearance in Ferraz by almost three hours, the PSOE Secretary General, Pedro Sánchez, closes one of the biggest corruption scandals of the democracy by expelling its main figures, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán; downplaying the third implicated, Koldo García ("he was not a man of my trust"), and challenging the Popular Party of Alberto Núñez Feijóo to present a no-confidence motion. It's over.

Sánchez has locked himself in La Moncloa and challenges anyone who wants to remove him to do so. Democratically, there are only two ways: through a confidence or no-confidence motion. The Prime Minister has not entirely ruled out the former; in fact, this Monday he will begin talks with his investiture partners (the first being Sumar) to see if he can win it. If feasible, he will present it; if not, forget it, as it is the sole prerogative of the Government.

Regarding the latter, only the PP has enough seats to present a no-confidence motion that would remove Sánchez and install Feijóo as president. But the socialist is very aware of his government's partners' needs and the interests of other parliamentary groups. He has done so in a rather defiant manner: "If I may offer some advice, both Mr. Feijóo and Mr. Abascal should present that no-confidence motion as soon as possible. Because after the summer, many of the cases that have the PP pending might start to resolve, and then it will be seen who the real criminals are."

Moreover, Sánchez exclaimed in clear reference to the opposition that "what is democratic is not to make the rival resign with some truths and many lies driven by a coalition of dark lobbies," but to dare to use the no-confidence motion.

The PSOE Secretary General also confines what he has called the 'Koldo case' to the "deception" of three people. This Monday, the expulsion of José Luis Ábalos was determined by closing the file that had been open for 14 months; and Santos Cerdán has submitted his resignation from his seat and requested to resign from membership. Once the dog is dead, the rabies is over.

A collegiate commission will lead the party until the Federal Committee meets on July 5 in Madrid. The four chosen individuals are the party president, Cristina Narbona; the manager, Ana María Fuentes; the Secretary of Labour, Economy and Social and Self-Employed Work, Montse Mínguez; and the Secretary of Democratic Action and Transparency, Borja Cabezón.

With this, the crisis is closed. Sánchez has defended that the PSOE is a "clean" organisation and has limited corruption to "a few," proclaiming that "there are no doubts." The coalition government will "continue with the work of social progress." No thoughts of early elections: "Elections are every four years, that's how it has been and that's how it will continue to be," he concluded.

There will also be no government crisis as changes in the Executive are ruled out. The matter is confined to the party, despite affecting public contracts. But Sánchez is beyond that: "We are not going to break the stability of a great country like Spain, which is experiencing one of its best moments in recent decades, to put it in the hands of the worst opposition in our country's democratic history, in the hands of Mr. Feijó and Mr. Abascal," justified the head of the Executive.

And before the opposition responds, Sánchez has set them tasks: expel Díaz Ayuso and Mazón for their management during the deaths in residences during the pandemic or for those who died in the dana.

With this, "Captain" Sánchez believes he has done what was necessary: "Take the helm, weather this storm, and take the necessary measures to regain the Spaniards' trust in the PSOE."