Spanish Prime Minister Faces Resignation Amidst Wife’s Corruption Allegations

In the midst of a scandal involving his wife’s alleged corruption, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that he will step down from his duties to consider whether to continue leading the government. Sánchez, 52 years old, made the announcement in a social media post on April 24th and suspended all public engagements until then.

The decision to resign came after a Madrid court launched an investigation into Sra. Begoña Gómez, his wife, for allegedly abusing her influence in exchange for benefits and corrupt practices in joint commercial activities. The investigation was sparked by a complaint filed by the anti-corruption group Manos Limpias.

According to Spanish media reports, investigators are examining the ties between Sra. Gómez and several private companies that received money or contracts from the government, including Globalia, a Spanish tourism company that owns Air Europa airline. It is reported that Sra. Gómez met privately with Globalia’s CEO in 2020 when the company was negotiating a multimillion-dollar bailout package with the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sánchez denied Manos Limpias’ accusations as “non-existent,” part of a campaign of “harassment” against his wife directed by right-wing conservative media and supported by opposition conservative and far-right parties. He also expressed gratitude to his cabinet members who visited him at home on April 24th and pledged their support for him. Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labor, spoke out saying “The right cannot win. We must protect democracy, progressive block and legitimacy of coalition government that has greatly improved people’s lives.”