Spain's PM Sanchez steps down amid scandal

Spain faces a political quandary as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez temporarily steps down amid a corruption scandal involving his wife, Begona Gomez.

In a statement released Wednesday evening over the X network, Sanchez, leader of the centre-left government, declared that his temporary withdrawal from office is meant to allow time for reflection on his future political path. He also noted that he has postponed all scheduled meetings for the near future.

Sanchez, at the helm of the Spanish Socialists (PSOE), further clarified in a "Letter to the citizens" that his stepping aside is a response to "attacks" aimed at him and his wife. He firmly believes that Begona Gomez is innocent of any wrongdoing.

He inferred that the accusations against his wife stem from political vendettas, highlighting that the complaint was filed by the anti-corruption entity Clean Hands (Manos Limpias), which he labelled as "extreme right-wing."

In his letter, Sanchez accused right-wing leaders, particularly Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the People's Party (PP) and Vox head Santiago Abascal, of orchestrating a smear campaign against him and his wife, exacerbating the media frenzy.

Sanchez wrote that Feijoo has even complained about this issue with the Office of Conflict of Interests, seeking a ban preventing Sanchez from holding any public office for 5 to 10 years. However, the authorities of this institution dismissed the request.

Facing scrutiny over his personal life, Sanchez expressed his need for a hiatus to ponder his next steps, promising a decision by Monday on whether he will remain at the government's helm. This government, inaugurated after the July 23, 2023 elections, represents Sanchez's third term as Prime Minister.

On Wednesday morning, a Madrid court investigated Begona Gomez, the Prime Minister's wife, concerning her supposed corruption and manipulation of political power to benefit her professional ventures.

The focus is on her association with the consulting firm Carlos Barrabes, a long-term supporter of the department Gomez leads at the Complutense University in Madrid, where she is the director of a master’s program in management for competitive social transformation.

According to "El Mundo," the investigation also probes the assistance Gomez may have provided to the company Globalia, enabling it to secure €600 million from the Sanchez administration for Air Europa, an airline under Globalia.

Leading the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Sanchez assumed power in 2018 following a vote of no confidence against Mariano Rajoy's government, triggered by a corruption scandal implicating leaders of the People's Party (PP), then directed by Rajoy.