The crisis of harassment allegations impacting Spain’s PSOE saw a new addition this week: Francisco Luis Fernández Rodríguez, who had been the Socialist mayor of Belalcázar (Córdoba), stepped down and asked to withdraw his party membership following the publication by various media of messages reportedly sent by him to a municipal subordinate.
What is under investigation and what has been released
In a report by RTVE / EFE, the situation is described as one of two complaints handled through the party’s internal reporting channel (the other pertains to a PSPV-PSOE member in Valencia). Concerning Belalcázar, RTVE indicates that the mayor stepped down “after being identified” for allegedly sending sexual and sexist messages to a subordinate, and mentions that he is also accused of sending unwanted photographs. Fernández, on the other hand, refutes that it constituted harassment and characterizes the interactions as “inappropriate.”
Cadena SER adds a timeline detail: the published messages would date from March 2023 through the first months of 2024, attributing the initial publication to the newspaper ABC.
As of now, what has been verified through public sources is:
- Reports have been published containing messages credited to the mayor.
- He has stepped down from his position and left the party, as reported by SER and RTVE.
- An internal procedure has been initiated via the PSOE channel, as stated by RTVE.
What is not publicly clarified (in open, verifiable sources) includes the full evidentiary record, the identity of the complainant (typically protected), and whether there is already a formal criminal proceeding beyond preliminary steps.
The functioning of the PSOE’s internal protocol
In the party’s Protocol against sexual harassment (published in 2025), an Anti-Harassment Body is described, made up of three members and expected to act with independence and autonomy. It is responsible for receiving complaints, conducting the review, proposing protective measures, and producing a final report (which may lead to internal disciplinary proceedings).
The same document emphasizes two concepts that clarify why numerous cases are first addressed “internally”:
- The privacy of the individual filing the complaint and the process itself.
- The assumption of innocence and the right to defend oneself for the individual implicated by the accusation.
It is also mentioned that the protocol does not hinder access to the courts, and internal processing might even be suspended if a judicial proceeding is in progress.
Why this case amplifies the PSOE’s wider crisis
RTVE places the Belalcázar episode within a succession of complaints and resignations that have become public over just a few days, alongside other names already in the public agenda, and notes that Ferraz announced a reinforcement of the protocol in response to “the cases coming to light.” The political context—amid rising public and media pressure—helps explain why these situations are being resolved through rapid organizational decisions (membership withdrawals, resignations, internal files), even though establishing full responsibility can take longer.
What may happen next
From this point, three paths generally emerge (not necessarily exclusive to one another):
- Local institutional track: the mayor’s departure forces the town council to reorganize its government (under applicable local rules).
- Party/organizational track: the PSOE can continue its internal investigation and, depending on what is substantiated, adopt additional measures.
- Judicial track: if a complaint exists before the prosecution service or a court, the pace and scope will depend on procedural steps and judicial rulings.
In this instance, the PSOE has chosen, in many instances revealed this year, to conceal them and refrain from notifying the authorities, a decision that has been condemned by both the public and political figures.