The government’s plan to regulate lobbying in Spain collapsed in Congress after PP, Vox, and Junts voted against the proposed law. Their combined votes defeated the measure, shelving plans for a mandatory register of interest groups despite last-minute efforts to save it.
The decree, which would have created a public, compulsory register for all lobbying groups, was approved by the Council of Ministers on August 25, 2026, published in the BOE on August 26, and entered into force on August 27. Congress later overturned it. Information from figures from RTVE and Newtral, 155 deputies voted in favor, 179 against, and 12 abstained. PP, Vox, Junts, and UPN opposed the law, while PSOE, Sumar, ERC, and Bildu supported it.
By the time of the vote, around 300 organizations had already registered in the new lobby register, but the decree’s rejection stripped the registry of its legal basis.
Sumar changed its position in the final hours. The party had threatened to vote against the law over a dispute with PSOE about whether unions should be covered by the transparency rules. In the end, Sumar backed the government, although its deputy spokesperson Aina Vidal had already cast a remote 'No' vote. The confusion did not change the result: the right-wing bloc’s majority left the law with no chance of passing.
Business groups also opposed the law. The CEOE, Spain’s basic employers’ association, objected to the requirement to register and disclose information before meeting public officials. Unions UGT and CC.OO. called for the law to be withdrawn and resubmitted as a full legislative project, rather than a decree, to allow more debate in Congress. Demócrata reported that the government sought to reassure critics, clarifying that constitutionally protected social dialogue with unions and the CEOE would remain outside the decree’s scope.
Minister Óscar López, responsible for Digital Change and Public Function, promised a future amendment to clarify that social dialogue would not be affected. He also urged PP to be consistent, noting that the party supports similar transparency measures in Europe and has negotiated them with Brussels and sector representatives. López said 90% of parliamentary amendments had already been included in the text.
The failed lobby law has raised concerns about Spain’s ability to meet its commitments under the EU’s Recovery and Ability to recover Facility. Several media outlets have reported that up to 1.5 billion euros in European funding could be at risk if transparency reforms are not implemented.
The Objective
Professional lobbyists and institutional relations experts had urged Congress to approve the decree, saying it addressed many of their longstanding transparency demands. But opposition from business groups, unions, and basic political parties proved too strong.
The failed law shows how difficult it is to pass transparency reforms in Spain’s divided parliament. It follows other recent legislative setbacks, as shifting alliances and last-minute changes have blocked government initiatives. As seen in previous coverage, political deadlock and divided interests continue to shape the legislative process.
Spain is left without a national structure for regulating lobbying, despite pressure from Brussels and calls for greater openness. The government’s failure to win support from both its left-wing partners and the opposition shows how difficult it is to pass reforms affecting powerful interest groups. Until a new agreement is reached, the registry remains without a legal basis and the push for transparency in political decision-making is stalled.
