Whistleblowers play a central role in detecting corruption, yet remain highly vulnerable actors. The EU adopted Directive 2019/1937 to establish minimum protection standards for persons reporting breaches of Union law. This article examines stakeholder expectations regarding whistleblower protection implementation in Spain and Portugal, two Southern European countries that transposed the Directive along different trajectories. Drawing on a mixed-methods dataset comprising legal and policy analysis, 52 semi-structured interviews, and two anonymous surveys, the article maps the governance landscape within which

whistleblowing operates. Findings reveal a recurring tension between formally robust legal frameworks and the practical protection expected by those most directly affected.