Spain stands alone: how Pedro Sánchez became Europe's "leper"

It is a nickname that many men would not mind, but Pedro Sánchez never liked being called "El Guapo," the handsome one. However, recently the Prime Minister of Spain has been attracting global attention for reasons very far from his appearance and television charisma.

According to a comprehensive analysis published in the British "Daily Telegraph," the socialist leader finds himself increasingly isolated on the international stage. Recently, Spain made headlines around the world after about 72,000 migrants broke into Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, in an unprecedented event that claimed the lives of at least 80 people.

Although by the beginning of August 2026, Madrid estimated that 70,000 of them had already been returned to Morocco, the sight of tens of thousands of people streaming through Europe's only land border with Africa sparked a sharp reaction from 22 out of 27 European Union members, who blamed Sánchez's permissive immigration policy.

His reaction to the largest migration crisis to hit Europe in recent years speaks volumes about his public detachment. Instead of staying at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid and managing the consequences of the crisis, Sánchez went on a summer vacation. To the surprise of many citizens, he even found time to share his "summer playlist" for listening on the beach, which included songs by Madonna and Charli XCX.

Criticism of Sánchez is far from limited to the handling of the migration crisis. His public opposition to Donald Trump's war in Iran, under the slogan "No to war," alongside his sharp condemnation of Israel regarding the war in Gaza, significantly distanced him from his counterparts in Berlin, Rome, and other European capitals.

Sánchez, who led a line of recognizing a Palestinian state and accused Israel of "genocide" — a serious accusation that Britain and France avoided — found himself under double fire. The "Telegraph" notes that at the height of the current crisis, conspiracy theories published in the Spanish newspaper "El Mundo" even claimed that the Israeli "Mossad" was behind the mass break-in to Ceuta, in an attempt to destabilize Sánchez's government in response to his positions.

Meanwhile, Trump has managed to threaten a full trade embargo on Spain in response to its refusal to allow the United States to use the joint military bases in Morón and Rota to attack Iran.

"The Red Orbán": The rift with Europe and NATO

At the same time, Sánchez has created deep fractures within the NATO alliance. Following pressure from radical left-wing parties in his shaky coalition, he refuses to raise the defense budget beyond 2.1% of GDP, a rate significantly lower than Trump's demand for 5% by 2035. This policy earned him the unflattering nickname "The Red Orbán" from Danish MEP Henrik Dahl, who compared him to the right-wing Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, for being a "disruptive factor" who rides for free on the back of the security alliance.

The crisis with Europe intensified this year when, following a pardon granted by his government to about 1.2 million illegal immigrants who were in the country, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ordered a temporary halt to free movement at the borders with Spain. Sánchez attacked back in an official letter to Brussels, accusing his critics of being driven by "prejudices, fake news, and political interests."

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Domestic corruption and embracing separatists

On the domestic front, Sánchez's political situation is no less bleak. His minority government relies on the mercy of Catalan and Basque separatist movements, which arouses immense public anger. He passed a scandalous amnesty law to allow the return of the exiled Catalan separatist leader, Carles Puigdemont, and enjoys the support of the 'Bildu' party, which has historical ties to the separatist organization ETA, responsible for the murder of over 800 citizens throughout its years of struggle.

If that were not enough, now in 2026, his closest circle is deeply mired in hair-raising corruption scandals. His wife, Begoña Gómez, is on trial for exploiting her position to obtain public tenders and favoring associates. His brother, David, was removed from public life for nine years due to misconduct in a public appointment, and his former Minister of Transport and the strongman in his party, José Luis Ábalos, was sentenced last June to 24 years in prison for corruption.

Although the Prime Minister himself has not yet been charged and declares that it is a "political persecution by the far-right," the opposition is demanding his head and calling for early elections. Sánchez, a master of political survival who, as you recall, brought down a government in 2018 after an election campaign in an old Peugeot 407, refuses categorically.

The economic miracle as the last shield

Nevertheless, the economic picture serves as Sánchez's last lifeline and is a focus of envy across the continent. The Spanish economy grew last year at an impressive rate of 2.6%, double the average in the Eurozone and six times that of the struggling German economy.

Madrid's leading stock index, the IBEX 35, has jumped by 128% in the last five years. Unemployment, which traditionally hit the Spanish economy hard, has also dropped to 10%, the lowest level since 2008. Senior economists note that, ironically, the huge influx of migration is what is fueling a significant part of the economic growth, compensating for problematic labor productivity.

Ahead of the general elections next year, polls indicate a consistent lead for the conservative People's Party. It is possible that Sánchez will have to vacate his seat, but his supporters in Madrid insist that he is leaving behind a strong Spain prepared for the new reality. His policy of deliberate rapprochement with China and the Global South, contrary to the European Union's position, is intended to establish Spain's power in a multipolar world. It remains to be seen whether the Spanish voter will forgive him for turning the country into a leper in the eyes of its most traditional and stable allies.