Court orders police to enter Socialists' Madrid headquarters amid corruption probe

Spain's National Court is investigating former Socialist Party organisation secretary Santos Cerdán and former party member Leire Díez over an alleged scheme aimed at "destabilising judicial proceedings" affecting the party or the Spanish government.

Investigating judge Santiago Pedraz on Wednesday ordered the Civil Guard's Central Operational Unit (UCO) to enter the Socialist Party (PSOE) headquarters in Madrid to request documentation as part of the probe.

According to the court, the proceedings target Cerdán and Díez, among others, over alleged offences including participation in a criminal organisation, multiple counts of bribery, disclosure of secrets and inducing false testimony.

The PSOE's organisational secretary, Ana María Fuentes, is also being investigated for alleged false invoicing.

PM rejects "fake news"

Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez has pledged to act with "firmness" if investigations uncover any "new irregular behaviours" within the party.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome where he travelled to meet with the Pope, Sánchez defended the "scrupulous" conduct of party manager Ana María Fuentes and rejected what he called "fake news" about alleged irregular party financing.

He added that the outcome of the investigations "remains to be seen," but said they do not in any way affect the work of the coalition government, which he said will continue "until the end of the legislature."

Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the conservative People's Party (PP) has once again called for a snap election. 

Cooperation 

Socialist sources issued a brief statement on Wednesday saying they had received a "request for documentation, not a search" and stressed that the case is "unrelated to illegal financing."

The request "has been met with full cooperation from the party. The PSOE will always maintain a position of maximum cooperation with the justice system and absolute respect for judicial proceedings," the statement said.