BREAKING: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will not resign

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D), announced on Monday that he will not resign from his post after announcing last week he would consider the possibility as a Madrid judge opened an investigation against his wife, Begoña Gómez, for alleged corruption and influence peddling.

“I have decided to continue. This decision is not a semicolon; it is a full stop. I am taking the decision to continue with even greater strength, if possible, at the head of the Spanish government,” the prime minister said.

He also called for collective reflection and a need to clean up toxicity from public discourse. The prime minister said he regretted that Spain’s right-wing forces, PP and VOX, had attacked his family but he promised he would carry out his duties regardless.

Sánchez came to power in 2018 following a vote of no confidence from left-wing parties against former prime minister Mariano Rajoy of the Spanish People’s Party (Partido Popular/EPP), the main opposition force.

He announced on Wednesday (24 April) that he was taking a few days of “reflection” to decide on his political future following the news that his wife was under investigation.

The complaint was filed by Clean Hands, a group founded by Miguel Bernad, a lawyer and former politician with links to the Spanish far-right, who admitted on Thursday that the allegations against Gómez were based on right-wing and far-right news reports.

Among the various options on the table, asides from resignation, snap elections were not viable as a year has not passed since the last election (29 May 2023). Another option would have been calling a vote of confidence, which he would have likely won.

The decision comes at a crucial time with less than six weeks before the European elections, and with Catalan elections scheduled for 12 May.

[Edited by Alice Taylor]

Read more with Euractiv