Spain is shocked by the controversy surrounding the family of Pedro Sanchez. Spain’s prime minister has acknowledged the possibility of resigning after it became known that his wife Begoña Gomez was the subject of an investigation into corruption and influence peddling. This Monday at 11am local time (10am Portugal time), the head of the Spanish government will announce his decision to the people. But what’s really at stake and how could this case affect governance in Spain?
“Should I continue to lead this government or refuse this highest honor? [no cargo]despite the slander from the right and the far right?” Sanchez wrote in a letter published on X (formerly Twitter) after the investigation was announced.
What is Begoña Gomez accused of?
On Wednesday, Spanish media reported that a preliminary investigation had been launched against the wife of the head of the Spanish government on suspicion of corruption and influence peddling. The investigation was launched following a criminal complaint filed by Manos Limpias.
According to the prosecution, while working at IE Business School and the Complutense University of Madrid, Begoña Gomez met several times with the owners of Globalia, the conglomerate that owns Air Europa. Later, due to the pandemic, this company received financial support. Manos Limpias believes that Sanchez’s wife organized the situation.
In accordance with PoliticalThe complaint also alleges that Begoña Gomez intervened to ensure that the Spanish government favored a businessman who participated in a program she oversaw at Complutense University. When applying for a government contract, the businessman submitted 32 letters of recommendation, one of which was signed by the prime minister’s wife.
Does the complaint filed comply with legal requirements?
The “Manos Limpias” complaint is a letter accompanied by several press clippings, but without concrete evidence to support their accusations. For what Political Spanish lawyers said the allegations in the complaint do not meet the legal requirements for charging someone with a crime. On Thursday morning, Spanish prosecutors demanded that the case be closed.
What is Manos Limpias?
The Manos Lymipias group is registered as a trade union, but its main activity is the prosecution of groups, often associated with progressive causes. It was founded in 1995 by Miguel Bernard, a lawyer who ran for president for the ultranationalist National Front party and who was later named an Honorary Knight of the Francisco Franco Foundation.
Over the nearly 30 years of its existence, the organization has filed numerous complaints against Spanish law.
In 2021, the Spanish National Court found Manos Limpias guilty of threatening legal action and running smear campaigns to extort banks and companies. The conviction was overturned by Spain’s Supreme Court, despite judges finding the group’s activities “highly reprehensible.”
Sanchez threatens to resign: what are the consequences and possible scenarios for the development of events?
Pedro Sánchez said he was fed up with far-right attacks on his family since he was elected leader of the Spanish Socialist Party in 2014. According to the Spanish Prime Minister, as the political scenario in the country has become polarized, attacks on his wife have become more intense.
For years, right-wing pundits have been spreading rumors about Gomez, including claims that she was actually a man whose real name was Begoño, and that her family owned a chain of sex clubs and was involved in international drug smuggling operations. Although they have always been able to prove the allegations false, Sanchez admits that he feels exhausted by the smear attempts he has been the target of.
“Despite the caricature that the right makes of me, I am not tied to this position. I am committed to my sense of duty and public service,” Sanchez explained in X.
A government official has set a deadline of Monday to decide whether he will continue to hold the position “that has given him so much political enmity.” On this day he will address the Spanish people and announce his decision.
If Sánchez decides to resign, the Spanish government will go into governing mode until the national parliament backs a new candidate who wants to form a cabinet. This situation may lead to a dead end, since Sanchez has no successor. It is also unlikely that opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the center-right People’s Party will receive enough support from lawmakers to form a government.
The Spanish head of government could also leave the decision to remain in office to parliament, calling for a vote of confidence. To stay in power, he will need the support of a simple majority of the 350 MPs.
Another possible scenario is that Sánchez leaves the decision to remain in power to the Spanish people, dissolving parliament and calling early elections. The latest polls show the People’s Party ahead of the Socialists by eight percentage points.
Author: Sarah Reis Teixeira
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.