Puente announced his decision at the end of a lengthy congressional session Tuesday afternoon in which he outlined new rail safety measures and was grilled by the opposition. He also said: “Not only am I leaving my position as Minister of Transport, but… I am also withdrawing my name from the lists for the early legislative elections.” Puente’s position immediately came under scrutiny after the Oct. 28 accident. The main opposition, the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party, were calling for his resignation, as were some of the government’s allies. They argued that the minister should take responsibility for a high-speed rail system that many Spaniards now consider unsafe and whose credibility even the president of the Socialist government, Pedro Sánchez, admitted was “broken.” The opposition also criticized Puente for appearing to blame human error for the accident, claiming the minister was trying to deflect blame from his own failures. But, having said he would remain in his role just a few days ago, his resignation appears to have taken many by surprise. The train accident and Puente’s decision have come at a crucial time in the Spanish political calendar, with early general elections on November 29. Many observers see the accident as a massive electoral setback for the Socialist-led government that will make it impossible for Sánchez to challenge the polls and win the election. Puente’s situation posed a dilemma for him and the prime minister: refusing to resign could seem callous in the wake of the accident, and resigning could seem like an admission that he and the government were at fault. In the end, Puente opted for the second option, insisting that his decision had been driven by “political dignity.” The Prime Minister praised his colleague who had “confronted the situation, provided answers and solutions, and then stepped aside”. “Out of dignity. Out of own will. Out of respect for the victims,” Sánchez added. Many Spaniards will now wonder whether Puente’s successors will succeed in restoring confidence in the country’s railway system.
