Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said late Wednesday that he was considering resigning after a judge opened an investigation into whether Mr. Sánchez's wife abused her position to help friends. win public contracts or not.
The developments stunned Spain and put the political future of perhaps Europe's most prominent progressive leader in doubt just months after he defied widespread expectations by forming a coalition. unstable alliance and guaranteed a second term in power.
“I need to stop and think,” Mr. Sánchez wrote in a long letter was published on his X social media account on Wednesday evening. He had canceled all political activities until Monday, he said, to decide whether he “should continue to lead the government or give up this honor”.
Recently, Mr. Sánchez appeared to overcome another significant obstacle by ensuring that the Catalan independence movement would support his coalition, making his second term in government look solid.
But that all changed on Wednesday morning, when a judge responded to a formal complaint by the far-right group Manos Limpias and ordered an investigation into the evidence against the prime minister's wife, Begoña Gomez, for alleged trafficking. affect. Further details were not immediately available.
In a lengthy letter published on X, Mr. Sánchez argued that the accusations were motivated by his political opponents, the People's Party, or PP, and Vox.
In a post on X, the PP party replied: “His problem is not political, but judicial and is responsible for an episode that tarnished the international image of our country.” .
“This was an operation of harassment and destruction by land, sea and air, aimed at weakening me politically and personally by attacking my wife,” Mr. Sánchez said.
He added that he would hold a press conference on Monday to inform the country of his decision.
