Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has come under heavy criticism from conservative columnist and academic Francisco Marhuenda over his summer vacation at the official La Mareta estate in Lanzarote, with Marhuenda warning that political defeat will eventually end his state-funded lifestyle.
In an opinion article published on Wednesday by 247 News Agency, Marhuenda argued that Sánchez had grown accustomed to living beyond his means in government mansions while relying on Moncloa Palace staff to manage his domestic affairs free of charge.
Sánchez, who has served as Prime Minister of Spain since 2018 and leads the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, frequently spends his summer breaks at La Mareta. The seaside complex in Lanzarote, originally commissioned by King Hussein of Jordan and later transferred to the Spanish state, serves as an official retreat for government leaders and visiting foreign dignitaries.
Historical Comparisons and Security Staff
Marhuenda wrote that he could no longer imagine Sánchez and his family mixing with ordinary citizens on public beaches or standing in line at beachside refreshment kiosks. He asserted that no previous Spanish prime minister had maintained such a high standard of living while in office.
To highlight Sánchez's security arrangements, Marhuenda drew a comparison to ancient Roman history. He noted that Emperor Augustus originally created the Praetorian Guard, before his successor Tiberius and prefect Sejanus concentrated all cohorts in Rome inside a fortified camp known as the Castra Praetoria.
Marhuenda suggested that following the existing Royal Guard, a dedicated Sanchista Guard could be established as the logical next step to protect the prime minister.
Political Advice and Literary References
Drawing further parallels from literature, Marhuenda referenced the French historical trilogy by Alexandre Dumas regarding the conflict between the musketeers of King Louis XIII and those of Cardinal Richelieu. He noted that Richelieu's force eventually disappeared under Cardinal Mazarin and merged into the royal troops.
Marhuenda described Richelieu as a great statesman who was unfairly portrayed as a villain by Dumas. He added that while Dumas was a great novelist, his work deliberately lacked historical accuracy, which Marhuenda characterized as a core element of the author's literary style.
Marhuenda cited Dumas's phrase that violating history is permissible as long as it produces a beautiful child, calling the sentiment understandable in fiction. However, he argued that advisers at Moncloa Palace were applying similar creative liberties to Spain's democratic institutions and constitutional order, leading to disastrous real-world results.
Predictions of Political Downfall
Looking ahead to future elections, Marhuenda questioned whether this holiday would mark Sánchez's final stay at La Mareta. He predicted that the prime minister would face defeat at the polls, leaving him unable to form a government.
Marhuenda suggested that Sánchez could spend his final year in power living like a twilight version of Jay Gatsby, the fictional protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, facing spiritual, emotional, and existential ruin. He asserted that key allies, including Óscar López, Patxi López, Antonio Hernando, and other political supporters, would abandon Sánchez once his authority faded.
Post-Government Lifestyle Concerns
Marhuenda warned that living beyond one's means in state mansions creates unrealistic expectations, noting that the standard salary provided to a former Spanish prime minister would not cover such high living costs. He added that he did not believe Sánchez's leadership role at the Socialist International, the global association of social democratic parties, would guarantee him the funds needed to maintain his current lifestyle after leaving office.
Marhuenda is a professor of public law and history of institutions at UNIE University in Madrid and holds memberships in Spain's Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, the Royal Academy of Doctors, and the Royal Academy of History.
