Spain’s never-ending corruption problem

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 18.05.17
Publication Date 18/05/2017
Content Type

Major feature on endemic corruption in Spain's business and political life. Spanish institutions have failed to prevent graft. The judicial system is trying to clean up the mess.

Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 published in January 2017 showed that Spain had gone down by seven points since 2012 and with 58 now scores worse than most Western European democracies.

Spain had been systematically engulfed in corruption scandals in recent years. Few aspects of public life in the country have remained exempt of corruption, be it the Royal House, large corporations, municipal authorities, sports, or political parties.

At the end of May 2017 Spain's beleaguered top anti-corruption prosecutor Manuel Moix admitted that he co-owned an offshore company Duchesse Financial Overseas in tax haven Panama and named in the Panama Papers, but said he saw no reason for this to have any repercussions. Spanish commentators described his behaviour as impudent and called for his resignation.

On the 1 June 2017 Manuel Moix/

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.politico.eu/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Spain's Rajoy still unscathed from corruption scandals http://www.europeansources.info/record/spains-rajoy-still-unscathed-from-corruption-scandals/
Euro|Topics: Debates, June 2017: Spanish corruption prosecutor under fire http://www.eurotopics.net/en/180188/spanish-corruption-prosecutor-under-fire
The Local.es, 31.05.17: Spanish Prime Minister will take stand in corruption trial https://www.thelocal.es/20170531/spanish-prime-minister-to-testify-in-corruption-trial
The Local.es, 19.05.17: 'Spain urgently needs to deal with systemic corruption' https://www.thelocal.es/20170519/spain-urgently-needs-to-deal-with-systemic-corruption
Transparency International: Spain https://www.transparency.org/country/ESP
Transparency International: Press Release, 18.05.17: Spain needs urgently to deal with systemic corruption https://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/spain_needs_urgently_to_deal_with_systemic_corruption
El País, 31.05.17: Calls for Spain’s anti-corruption chief to quit over his Panama firm http://elpais.com/elpais/2017/05/31/inenglish/1496217587_587717.html
El País, 01.06.17: Spain’s anti-corruption chief quits over Panama firm controversy http://elpais.com/elpais/2017/06/01/inenglish/1496312141_429086.html
ESO: Find further information in ESO on this topic http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=spain%20political%20situation%20corruption%20&searchOption=all
Politico, 01.06.17: Spanish prosecutor resigns over Panama Papers link http://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-prosecutor-resigns-over-panama-papers-link/

Countries / Regions