During the parliamentary session, Pedro Sánchez highlighted that one in three women in Spain faces harassment at work, relying on a survey conducted by the Ministry of Equality to measure the structural extent of the problem. According to Europa Press, this diagnosis served as a basis for the president to justify the reforms promoted within his mandate, which were aimed at reducing inequalities and strengthening the protection of women both in the workplace and in the social environment. The central message of the debate revolved around the interface between Sánchez and Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who used the so-called “Salazar case” to attack the executive branch and denounce what he described as the “culture of defendant protection” within the Socialist Party.
Europa Press reported that Feijóo focused part of his intervention in Congress on the case of Francisco Salazar, the former Moncloa adviser who was fired after being reported for sexual harassment. The popular leader linked this episode to other complaints that occurred in the Lugo Provincial Council, which also included members of the PSOE, and argued that there was a pattern of institutional shielding in the party led by Sánchez that favored the alleged harasser over the victim. According to Feijóo, after Salazar left his position in Moncloa, he would have been relocated with PSOE funds, which he says reflects systematic protection. Europa Press picked up on his words: “It’s his code of conduct. Now everyone knows that between harasser and harassed, he protects the harasser.”
The PP leader added that the complaints against Salazar had finally been filed, claiming the government had tried to portray the situation as an internal party dispute to downplay its public significance. He also mentioned Salazar’s closeness to the president and pointed to other trusted aides such as Santos Cerdán and Koldo García to extend his allegations to Sánchez’s inner circle. The discussion in the chamber went beyond the Salazar case, as Feijóo criticized the handling of controversies related to harassment by the executive branch, pointing out that the accumulation of these incidents would have a negative impact on the country’s institutional image. Additionally, in a twist to his speech, Feijóo addressed Sánchez’s family issues, linking them to the foundation of the government’s feminist discourse and its approach to equality.
For ideological reasons, Feijóo insisted that feminism required concrete action and could not be reduced to statements or symbolic gestures. He emphasized before Congress his position on the need for concrete measures and reviewed the advisability of internal protocols in political formations and administrations. As Europa Press reported, the leader of the PP warned that the executive was facing its final months at the helm of the government.
Sánchez, for his part, addressed the problem as a systemic phenomenon in his response, explaining to the Chamber that Spain now has laws that force all parties to implement prevention and action protocols in the event of harassment complaints. He also expressed the intention to extend these measures to communities where similar cases occur. In his speech, he gave examples of municipalities governed by the PP, such as Algeciras, Estepona and Ponferrada, mentioning in particular the Nevenka case and explaining how the PP responded to these circumstances.
The president, according to Europa Press, explained that the government’s stance was in contrast to that of the opposition and stressed the executive’s willingness to admit mistakes and correct procedures, in the face of what he described as the PP’s inflexibility. Sánchez criticized the popular alliances with Vox and pointed out that, according to the media, the harassment problems in his own environment had not been resolved. In addition, she emphasized that feminist sensitization and improving women’s protection is a continuous learning process that also includes political decision-makers and their own actions.
He reiterated his defense of the measures adopted under his government, citing, among others, the increase in the minimum wage for working people, the pension reform linked to the consumer price index, the parity law, the restoration of the social security contribution system for non-professional carers of dependents – a right that had lost its validity under previous PP governments – and the continuity of the state pact against gender-based violence. All of these measures, the President explained, are aimed at reducing equality gaps and improving the protection of women from discrimination and harassment in various areas.
During the meeting, opposing positions on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the measures taken were expressed both in the government and in the opposition. From the ranks of the population, they questioned whether the protocols put in place by the PSOE were really efficient and criticized the alleged institutional shielding, which, in their opinion, favored the denounced. For his part, Sánchez argued that the model of executive power prioritizes responding to harassment situations and finding solutions, in contrast to what he described as the passive attitude of the opposition.
Europa Press’ reporting highlighted that the parliamentary exchange also opened a wider debate on transparency in the handling of complaints, the right of victims to redress, and the review and updating of the internal protocols of parties and administrations themselves. Both leaders made arguments that reflected ongoing ideological distance regarding the interpretation of feminism and political management in the face of harassment complaints.
According to Europa Press, the debate served to highlight the institutional challenges that remain in ensuring safe working environments in the public sector and to highlight open discussion by key policy actors on the appropriateness and scope of response mechanisms. The course of the session highlighted how differences in both the perception of the issues and the responses offered continue to shape the equality agenda in Spain.
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