Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez halts public duties as wife faces inquiry

Following the opening of a preliminary investigation into his wife by a court, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has paused his public duties in order to “stop and reflect” on whether to continue in his role.

The Spanish president declared that he had to make a decision “whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour” immediately.

The court declared that it was answering allegations of corruption against Begoña Gómez.

Mr. Sánchez promised that his spouse would cooperate with the legal system and uphold her honour.

Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-corruption group run by a guy connected to the far right, filed the complaint against Begoña Gómez. The group has been involved in several high-profile court cases in recent years.

Following the opening of a preliminary investigation into his wife by a court, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has paused his public duties in order to “stop and reflect” on whether to continue in his role.

The Spanish president declared that he had to make a decision “whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour” immediately.

The court declared that it was answering allegations of corruption against Begoña Gómez.

Mr. Sánchez promised that his spouse would cooperate with the legal system and uphold her honour.

It specifically mentioned a “sponsorship agreement” between the travel company Globalia and the IE Africa Centre, a charity she oversaw in 2020. A €475 million (£407 million) bailout for Air Europa was obtained by Globalia in 2020 as a part of a series of government rescue packages for businesses affected by the Covid-19 issue.

The prime minister only responded by saying that he believed in justice “despite everything” when the conservative Popular Party (PP) of Spain demanded explanations in parliament earlier on Wednesday.

According to Spanish media, he appeared obviously angry as he left the parliament for his Madrid home. A few hours later, he claimed that far-right group Vox was collaborating with PP head Alberto Núñez Feijóo to undermine him.

“I’m not gullible. In his statement, he bemoaned, “I realise they are denouncing Begoña, not because she has done anything illegal—they know there is no case—but because she is my wife.”

Although Mr. Sánchez, who has been in office since 2018, has the support of his political colleagues, his decision to resign from public office comes at a sensitive moment for his Socialist party, which is gearing up for elections in the northeastern Spanish province of Catalonia in June and the European Parliament in June.