Spain’s anti-corruption prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the right-wing Vox party over claims of financial misconduct. The inquiry follows accusations from the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which alleges Vox obtained millions in funding through questionable means, including foreign-backed loans and unregulated cash donations.
The investigation, which officially opened on March 10, stems from a complaint filed in December 2024. According to PSOE, Vox has been collecting cash donations at party information booths across Spain since at least 2020. These funds, gathered alongside merchandise sales, were allegedly funneled into the party without proper documentation, making it impossible to trace their origins or intended use. Socialists estimate this method may have generated around €5 million, branding it an “irregular” and “opaque” financing scheme.
But that’s not all. The left-wing party also claims Vox violated Spanish law by accepting foreign funds. Specifically, they point to a €6.5 million loan from Hungary’s MBH Bank Nyrt—a financial institution with ties to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government. Spanish law strictly prohibits political parties from receiving state-backed foreign financing, making this a particularly serious accusation.
Vox hasn’t denied receiving Hungarian funds. In fact, the party previously admitted to securing a €9.2 million loan from the same bank to fund its 2023 campaign, arguing that no Spanish financial institution would lend them money. The situation bears striking similarities to the funding struggles of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France, which had to turn to Russian banks after being blacklisted at home.
At a press conference on March 10, Vox’s national spokesperson José Antonio Fúster dismissed the allegations, insisting the party’s finances are “clear and transparent” and that they have “nothing to hide.” However, he notably avoided addressing the Hungarian loan, a key focus of the Socialists’ complaint.
In response to the accusations, Vox turned the tables, accusing PSOE of being riddled with corruption. The Socialists have faced multiple high-profile scandals, including the “Koldo case,” the “Begoña Gómez case,” and allegations surrounding Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s brother. The right-wing activist group Manos Limpias has filed legal complaints that have triggered investigations into both Sánchez’s brother and wife.
With Spain’s political landscape already deeply polarized, this latest corruption probe adds more fuel to the fire, raising questions about financial transparency across party lines.
