Prime Minister of Spain considers resignation after corruption investigation into his wife

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is considering resigning. His wife is under investigation for influence peddling and corruption. He announced this on Wednesday on X.

“I need to stop and think about whether I can remain head of government,” the Spanish Prime Minister writes on X. He would announce his final decision next Monday.

He delivers that message amid fuss about his wife Begoña Gómez. An investigation was started against her on April 16 after a complaint from the association Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).

According to Spanish media, the investigation focuses on Gómez’s contacts with private companies that received money or orders from the government. For example, Gómez is said to have had ties with the Spanish tourism group Globalia, owner of Air Europa, among others. She is said to have played a role in government support for Air Europa in 2020, which ran into major problems during the corona crisis.

Gómez then headed IE Africa Center, a foundation linked to a business school in Madrid. According to the online newspaper El Confidencial the foundation signed a partnership with Globalia in 2020. Gómez is said to have taken part in a private meeting with Globalia CEO Javier Hidalgo when Globalia was negotiating the bailout plan with the government.