The Council of Ministers of Spain has recently approved a comprehensive national plan to combat corruption, prompted by the involvement of former Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party officials, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán, in the Koldo case. This initiative was announced by President Pedro Sánchez during a session in Congress on the ninth of July.

At a press conference following the first Council meeting after the summer break, government spokesperson Pilar Alegría outlined that the plan integrates recommendations from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Commission, and civil society representatives.

This anti-corruption strategy is structured around five key pillars, which aim to enhance measures to prevent and combat corruption, such as implementing artificial intelligence applications in public sector contracting and randomly auditing the assets of high-ranking officials.

Additionally, the plan aims to include external audits of political party finances and their foundations, offer protections for whistle-blowers, and strengthen the state’s ability to pursue and recover assets obtained through corrupt activities.