Spain's transport minister, Óscar Puente, resigned on Tuesday night following last week's train crash near Toledo in which 69 people died, Politico Europe reports. His departure came after hours of questioning by parliament's standing committee, which is acting while the chambers are dissolved ahead of the snap general election on 29 November.
Puente, a close ally of Socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez who had held the post since 2023, called the decision a matter of political dignity. Earlier in the day he had brushed aside calls to quit, including from Sumar, the junior partner in the governing coalition. The crash was Spain's second deadly rail disaster this year, after 46 people were killed at Adamuz in January, and it has raised questions about the state of the country's rail infrastructure during the election campaign.
Source: Politico Europe
