Spanish left-wing politician resigns amid sexual abuse allegations

Íñigo Errejón, a prominent figure from the Spanish government’s junior coalition partner, Sumar, is under investigation for alleged sexual abuse, officials confirmed on Friday following his abrupt resignation. 

Errejón, the spokesperson for the left-wing Sumar coalition, announced his departure from politics in a post on X on Thursday but did not directly address the allegations. 

The accusations emerged after Spanish journalist Cristina Fallarás shared on Instagram an anonymous post accusing a “well-known Madrid-based politician” of engaging in “psychological abuse.” 

Soon after Errejón’s resignation, actress Elisa Mouliaá publicly identified him as her alleged abuser. 

“I am a victim of sexual harassment by Íñigo Errejón and I want to denounce it,” the actress posted on X. 

The Ministry of Interior reported that a formal complaint had been lodged against Errejón.

In Mouliaá’s police statement, she described the events as occurring in September 2021 during a private gathering at a friend’s home. 

According to the complaint, Errejón allegedly behaved violently and engaged in non-consensual touching, leaving the actress “paralysed and unable to react.” 

The domestic press said that in a conversation with Sumar’s leadership, he has confessed to “machismo” — a term used in Spain to describe toxic masculinity, but also any form of unwanted behaviour against women.

In the post announcing his resignation, Errejón made a veiled reference to the allegations he’s facing. “Ideological struggle is also a struggle to build better ways of life and relationships — more caring, more supportive, and therefore freer,” he said.

Sumar’s crisis deepens with declining support

Sumar, a feminist-aligned platform, has been facing a significant decline in support in recent elections, leading to party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz stepping back from her leadership. 

The coalition government, already reliant on the support of smaller parties, is now more vulnerable amid this controversy, especially as negotiations for this year’s budget become increasingly complex. 

This scandal unfolds against the backdrop of Spain’s heightened scrutiny of abuses of power following last year’s high-profile case involving Spanish women’s national football team president Luis Rubiales. 

Errejón, who co-founded the far-left party Podemos before forming Más País, now part of Sumar, had been a prominent political figure for over a decade. Sumar has announced an internal investigation following the accusations. 

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his support for women facing abuse while reaffirming trust in Díaz and Sumar.

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“This is a very unpleasant moment, but we’ve taken action. This case is particularly painful for a feminist government, but the key is how one responds. As soon as the situation became known, Yolanda (Díaz) acted swiftly and decisively,” Sánchez told journalists.

Meanwhile, the opposition People’s Party has pressed Díaz to clarify when she first became aware of the allegations against Errejón, who had been considered a potential successor for the Sumar leadership.