Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez will not resign

Spain’s prime minister has announced he will not resign, admitting he was led by his emotions when he suspended his duties after a corruption investigation was launched into his wife.

Pedro Sánchez told Spaniards in “a letter to citizens” last Wednesday that he had to decide whether remaining at the head of government was “worth it” in light of corruption accusations made against Begoña Gómez, his wife.

“I have decided to carry on, maybe with even more strength, as prime minister of Spain,” Mr Sánchez said in a televised address from his Moncloa official residence.

On Monday Mr Sánchez admitted that his decision to put his political activity on pause had been “unusual”, and claimed it had been a purely emotional reaction and not “a political calculation”.

A preliminary judicial investigation was opened into Ms Gómez last week over accusations of influence peddling and business corruption, based on reports published by what Mr Sánchez called “a constellation of ultra-conservative news outlets”.

“In short, it is an operation of harassment and demolition by land, sea and air, to try to weaken me politically and personally by attacking my wife,” Mr Sánchez said in his letter last week.

‘Smear campaign’

At a press conference on Monday, he said he and his wife were aware that what he considers a “smear campaign” would continue, but said the fight for political decency had to be won.

“We either say enough is enough or we run the risk that the degradation of public life will determine the future of the country.”

Mr Sánchez said he would be opening a “new chapter” in Spanish political life in order to “bring an end to political mud-slinging”, but gave no details of what this would entail.

Opposition parties have also asked for explanations from Mr Sánchez about reports that a private university study centre run by Ms Gómez received sponsorship from a conglomerate whose airline subsidiary received emergency funds during the pandemic.

She also signed documents in support of a consortium seeking to win government contracts for work training schemes.

Neither Ms Gómez nor Mr Sánchez have made specific denials of the claims, although the prime minister has stressed that Spain’s conflict of interest office exonerated him of any wrongdoing over the decision to grant funds to the airline Air Europa.

Mr Sánchez also said that Ms Gómez was taking legal action against newspapers that have reported “spurious information”.

Ministers call on Sanchez not to resign

Over the weekend, ministers and government supporters called on Mr Sánchez not to resign, with Mr Sánchez’s Socialist Party organising a rally in support of the prime minister outside the organisation’s Madrid headquarters.

Yolanda Díaz, labour minister and leader of Sumar, the junior partner in Spain’s Left-wing coalition, said it was not just a case of supporting Mr Sánchez but defending the democratic system and respect for electoral results and the parliament system.

“Spain is not mobilising to save a party or a government, but rather in order to defend rights.”

The conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), which won last July’s election but could not muster a parliamentary majority, said it is ready to bring an end to what it sees as a crisis of governance under Mr Sánchez.

“Spain deserves a calm and mature prime minister, and it will have one,” said Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the PP leader, accusing Mr Sánchez of “navel-gazing” and “narcissism” for keeping the country guessing for five days.

Since 2018, governments ruled by Mr Sánchez have pursued progressive policies, increasing the national minimum wage by more than half, lengthening parental leave, and reducing temporary work contracts.