Spain's tax chief quits after ministry overrules her on Catalan tax plan, inspectors demand no political interference

Resignations follow Catalan tax meeting

Yesterday, 1 July, news broke that Soledad Fernández Doctor, director general of the Agencia Tributaria (AEAT), had requested her departure months ago. Two other senior directors, the heads of Collection and Financial Inspection, are also leaving, having applied for finance counsellor posts at embassies. The announcement came just hours after a meeting between the State Secretary for Finance and Catalonia's finance minister, Alicia Romero, the contents of which remain undisclosed. Inspector Francisco de la Torre noted the suspicious timing on Antena 3.

I was particularly struck that this succession of departures happened hours after that meeting. There is a feeling of unease among the inspectors and the rest of the staff.

First Vice-President Carlos Cuerpo described the change as "a natural and normal replacement".

A history of ministerial overrule

Sources within the agency told ABC that Fernández was overruled on at least six key matters, a process of de-legitimisation that started almost from the beginning of her mandate. Most notably, in April 2024 she publicly called the proposal for Catalonia to collect 100% of its taxes an "experiment", but four months later the Treasury adopted the same formula in a PSC-ERC investiture pact. She was ordered not to speak publicly on the issue again. Another episode involved an exculpatory tax report on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's brother sent to the court unsigned, an anomaly staff saw as an act of defiance, later corrected with three signatures from the Extremadura office.

The last few months have been a powder keg.

Inspectors sound the alarm

The Association of State Tax Inspectors (IHE) issued a harsh statement calling the situation "an odd state of limbo" and demanding that the next appointment be "professional and objective". They find it "striking" that no successor has been named, a gap they connect to the recent meeting with Catalonia.

The lack of official information contributes to an institutional uncertainty that should never occur in an agency of this nature. The explanations offered about the lack of a designated successor are not credible.

The inspectors insist that the AEAT must not be fragmented and that no external interference should alter competitive examinations for tax officials.

Unions mobilise over working conditions

Adding to the internal turmoil, the CSIF union called a series of protests across Spain starting 30 September, citing stalled negotiations on career progression, telework, and recognition of risk profession for Customs Surveillance. A two-hour strike is set for 26 October, with further action in November and December. CSIF also demands explanations for the leadership crisis, linking it to discontent over regional financing and the planned transfer of tax collection powers to Catalonia.

Tax collection figures released early

Gestha, the technicians' union, suggested that the AEAT rushed out positive enforcement results to divert attention from the crisis. The agency collected €22.743 billion in 2025, up from €17.274 billion in 2020, an increase partly attributed to allowing inspectors to probe companies with up to €10 million in turnover from April 2025. However, Gestha warned of a plunge in tax-crime complaints and a record €46.607 billion in outstanding debt at end-2025.