Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said late on Wednesday that he was considering resigning after a judge opened an investigation into whether his wife abused her power to help a friend win public contracts.
The development has shocked Spain and cast into doubt the political future of perhaps Europe’s most famous progressive leader. Months ago, he defied popular expectations by assembling a fractious coalition and securing a second term.
“I need to stop and think,” Mr. Sanchez wrote in the letter. a long letter The news was posted on his X social media account on Wednesday night. He said he had canceled all political activities until Monday to decide “whether he should continue to lead the government or give up this honor.”
Recently, Mr Sánchez appeared to have overcome another major hurdle, ensuring that the Catalan independence movement would support his coalition, making his second term in government look secure.
But that all changed on Wednesday morning, when a judge responded to a formal complaint from the far-right group Manos Limpias and ordered the prosecution of Begoña Gomez, the wife of the prime minister. ) is investigated for evidence of suspected influence peddling. Further details were not immediately available.
In a lengthy letter published on
The People’s Party responded in a post on
“This was an operation of harassment and sabotage by land, sea and air designed to weaken me politically and personally by attacking my wife,” Sanchez said.
He added that he would hold a news conference on Monday to inform the country of his decision.
