Spanish Prime Minister Mulling Resignation

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Facts

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday announced in a letter posted to X, formerly Twitter, that all his public duties have been put on hold as he mulls whether to resign.¹
• The 52-year-old, who came to power six years ago after leading a no-confidence vote against conservative leader Mariano Rajoy, is set to announce his decision next Monday.²
• This comes as a judge in Madrid has opened a preliminary corruption and influence peddling investigation into Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, following a criminal complaint by the Manos Limpias trade union.³
• The anti-corruption group, however, acknowledged Thursday that its allegations could be false, as they were based on media reports about links between Begoña Gómez and private companies that secured government money.⁴
• Prosecutors in Madrid have requested dismissal of the case, with the appeal expected to take months to be heard in a separate court. In the meantime, the investigation into Begoña Gómez remains sealed.⁵
• If Sánchez resigns, his government would enter into caretaker status while the king conducts consultations to appoint a new leader. New early elections would take place two months later if the candidate fails to secure enough support.⁶

Sources: ¹New York Times, ²GB News, ³POLITICO, ⁴BBC News, ⁵Al Jazeera and ⁶La Vanguardia.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by EL PAÍS English. As if ad hominem attacks against the prime minister weren't enough, ultra-conservatives in Spain have decided to launch a baseless lawfare campaign against Sánchez's family. This level of toxicity in politics may be too much even for a political survivor such as Sánchez.
• Right narrative, as provided by Voz Media. Begoña Gómez has not been formally indicted yet, so Sánchez's reaction to the investigation certainly sounds an alarm, especially as a corruption case in his government — the Koldo Case — has just been unveiled.

Predictions