MADRID, Spain — The Spanish Congress of Deputies has passed a motion backed by an absolute majority, urging Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to resign or submit to a formal vote of confidence, citing ongoing corruption scandals and severe political paralysis. The legislative maneuver marks a significant escalation in parliamentary opposition just one day after Sánchez’s appearance in the Chamber, during which his governing coalition partners harshly criticized his leadership but stopped short of withdrawing their support.
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The non-binding motion, proposed by the conservative Popular Party (PP), secured 178 votes in favor, uniting the PP, Vox, Junts, the Navarrese People’s Union (UPN), and the Canarian Coalition. This absolute majority effectively expressed a comprehensive rejection of the current legislature and its head of government. However, political sources acknowledge that the approved text carries no legal or juridical force, meaning the executive branch is under no legal obligation to comply with the Chamber’s demands.
The original proposal contained five points, fundamentally demanding the immediate calling of general elections and the collective resignation of the Government. However, the Bureau of the Congress, presided over by Socialist Francina Armengol, vetoed these specific demands. The governing body ruled that calling early elections constitutes an exclusive prerogative of the Prime Minister, and therefore, parliamentary attempts to force the issue constituted an overstep of legislative competencies. Consequently, the final text that passed the plenary session was reduced to three points. Recognizing that Sánchez is unlikely to voluntarily call early elections, the opposition adapted the text to demand that the Prime Minister consider submitting to a vote of confidence. The final motion also condemns the accumulation of corruption investigations involving political appointees directly sustained by Sánchez, and it strongly defends the Chamber’s constitutional freedom to exercise its legislative and oversight functions without arbitrary censorship or vetoes from the Government or specific political groups.
Espectáculo bochornoso en el Congreso: Patxi López gritando como un poseso “¡Yo, con Begoña!” y mirando a Pedro Sánchez en busca de un guiño del Amado Líder que exprese satisfacción con lo que está oyendo. La bancada socialista le ovaciona. Una escena norcoreana. Vergüenza ajena. pic.twitter.com/Nz0XU9VRxS
— Nacho Martín Blanco (@Nmartinblanco) June 24, 2026
Following the vote, the President of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, celebrated the outcome in the corridors of the Congress, describing it as an unprecedented parliamentary event. He highlighted the irony that the very same chamber that granted Sánchez his investiture and confidence has now formally requested his departure. Feijóo sharply criticized the Prime Minister’s reaction to the vote, pointing to the applause that erupted from the Socialist benches at the conclusion of the session as evidence of what he termed enormous arrogance.
The opposition leader asserted that Sánchez will likely ignore the Chamber’s decision, a defiance he contrasted with the expected behavior of any democratic leader or European prime minister. Feijóo warned that he is taking careful note of this executive indiscipline toward the legislative branch, promising to use the incident to highlight the ongoing deterioration of the institutions that underpin Spanish democracy. While acknowledging the significant role of Junts in securing the absolute majority for the motion, Feijóo stated he is waiting to see if this political coherence consolidates before considering the presentation of a formal motion of censure, insisting that any future political steps will be taken strictly in the interest of the Spanish people.
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As the political fallout from the vote continues to dominate the national discourse, the government faces mounting pressure from both the opposition and an increasingly vocal faction of its own parliamentary allies.
