In Madrid, the feminist council of the Socialist Party (PSOE) has put forward an initiative to review the current protocol for handling harassment complaints. At a recent meeting, council members concluded that the existing system has significant gaps, especially regarding the anonymity of complainants. They believe this hinders effective investigations and makes fact-checking more difficult.
The core of the discussion focused on whether complaints should be submitted completely anonymously or with full confidentiality. Council representatives argue that such practices do not always lead to the truth and can slow down proceedings, as was the case with Francisco Salazar. His case, seen by many as the catalyst for an internal party crisis, remained stalled for almost six months.
Internal discord
The feminist council was established last summer to respond to such incidents. It includes prominent activists, lawyers, and members of parliament such as Francisca Sauquillo, Soledad Murillo, Rosa Sansegundo, as well as regional party leaders. There is now consideration of expanding Madrid’s council experience to all regional branches and even at the national level.
At the meeting convened by Lorena Morales, not only were the shortcomings of the protocol discussed, but also the fallout from recent scandals. Most participants agreed that the section regarding anonymous complaints is not functioning effectively. In Salazar’s case, they said, anonymity made it impossible to quickly and objectively verify the information.
The problem of anonymity
None of the participants questioned the credibility of the complaints against Salazar, but all noted that full anonymity hampers thorough investigation, the collection of additional information, and cross-checking of accounts. Moreover, according to the council, such a system could be vulnerable to false accusations or abuse in competitive conflicts.
Francisca Sauquillo, who has extensive experience in legal practice, also pointed out these risks. Another participant emphasized that in companies and public institutions, protocols usually allow for verification of statements to protect both the claimant and the system as a whole.
A path to reform
Following the discussion, the council unanimously agreed that the protocol needs to be revised to find a balance between protecting the person filing a complaint and ensuring transparency in the process. It’s crucial to prevent arbitrary or malicious claims from entering the system.
The party leadership has already announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the protocol. External experts on equality and women’s rights will be invited to participate in the discussion. Particular emphasis will be placed on issues of anonymity and confidentiality to develop the best possible solution.
Reducing timeframes
Another important proposal is to shorten the time allotted for reviewing complaints. Currently, investigations are given three months, with the option to extend for another three in complex cases. The council insists that these timeframes be significantly reduced to speed up the process and build greater trust in the system.
In the near future, the conclusions of the Madrid council will be submitted to the party’s national leadership. It is expected that the proposed changes to the protocol will be discussed at the federal level and could be implemented across all regional branches of PSOE.
