Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez halts his public duties to 'stop ...

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his wife Begona Gomez

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has suspended his public duties to ‘stop and reflect’ on whether he can remain in his job as his wife, Begoña Gómez, faces an inquiry.

‘I need to pause and think,’ Sánchez shared on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, ‘I urgently need an answer to the question of whether it is worthwhile (...) whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour.’ Sánchez, who has been in the role since 2018, said he would make a decision about his future as Prime Minister on Monday 29 April.

While the court hasn't announced the nature of the allegations against Gómez, media across Europe is reporting a complaint was raised by anti-corruption campaigners Manos Limpas. The organisation describes itself as a trade union and has previously targeted high profile figures in Spain, including politicians and Princess Cristina of Spain.

The President of the Government and candidate for reelection for the PSOE, Pedro Sanchez, and his wife during the PSOE's campaign closing ceremony at the La Alhondiga sports center, on 21 July, 2023

Spanish media reports Manos Limpas is looking into Gómez's links to private companies that had secured government money or public contracts. One of the links highlighted was a ‘sponsorship agreement’ between tourism group Globalia and IE Africa Center, a foundation Gómez ran in 2020. At the time, Globalia secured a €475m (£407m) government rescue package amidst the Covid-19 crisis for its airline Air Europa. The complaint has been signed by Miguel Bernad, a man linked to the far right in Spain and the head of Manos Limpias.

Manos Limpias put out a statement signed by Mr Bernad saying that its allegations might be false because they were based on online newspaper stories. It read: ‘If they are not true, it will be up to those that published them to take responsibility for the falsehood.’

Spanish media detailed how a visibly upset Sánchez had left parliament for his Madrid residence this week. Hours later, he put out a statement accusing PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of working with the far-right party to bring him down, saying, ‘I am not naive. 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.’

Begoña Gómez

Pedro Sánchez, the socialist prime minister of Spain, previously hit headlines when it was suggested he had collaborated with other left-wingers, such as Eta, to force former King Juan Carlos into exile and install King Felipe as the country's monarch.

Right-wing speculators in Spain have gravitated towards ideas that Felipe – seen by many as a ‘pretending’ King who collaborated in forcing Juan Carlos out – is partly responsible for the socialist government now incumbent in Spain. After the inconclusive Spanish election in July, Felipe asked Alberto Feijóo, head of the conservative People's Party, to try to form a government. Despite the support of the far-right Vox party, Feijóo was unable to form a government. Felipe then turned to Sánchez, who controversially formed a government with Catalan separatists – after securing an amnesty deal which he had ruled out prior to the election. The deal sparked widespread right-wing protests – but according to most Spaniards, the King emerged well from the political log-jam; winning praise for his even-handedness, as well as for restoring confidence in the crown.