Spain faced an unusual moment on Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled that Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz leaked confidential information connected to a sensitive tax fraud case. The decision sent a shock through the country’s political circles and raised new questions about institutional trust at a tense moment for Spanish politics.
García Ortiz attended the trial in Madrid last week, where judges examined allegations tied to the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the influential conservative president of the Madrid region. The court said the prosecutor shared details from an internal email exchange linked to the tax inquiry.
A ruling with political and legal repercussions
The Supreme Court imposed a two-year disqualification and fined García Ortiz 7,200 euros. Although two of the seven judges dissented, the ruling still marked the first time Spain’s highest court convicted a sitting attorney general. Justice Minister Félix Bolaños said the government would respect the decision, even though it disagreed with the outcome. He added that officials would begin choosing a new chief prosecutor shortly.
The case centers on Alberto González Amador, Díaz Ayuso’s partner, who faced tax fraud allegations. Prosecutors said his lawyer suggested a plea deal in which González Amador would admit two counts of tax fraud to avoid prison. García Ortiz rejected claims that he leaked the email exchange to the press, and González Amador told the court he never approved or knew of any such deal.
The dispute deepened the political divide between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left-leaning government and the conservative People’s Party. Opposition lawmakers said the ruling confirmed their criticism of how the government handled corruption cases. Ester Muñoz, the PP’s lower-house spokesperson, urged Sánchez on X to apologise, resign, and call early elections.
The court also ordered García Ortiz to pay González Amador 10,000 euros in compensation for moral damages. He may still challenge the ruling, since Spanish law allows him to request an annulment from the Supreme Court and then take the case to the Constitutional Court.
As the political tension rises, the decision adds a new layer of strain to Spain’s already polarized climate. The controversy also fuels a wider debate about transparency, judicial independence, and the credibility of institutions at a time when public confidence remains fragile.