Political crisis in Spain: why is Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez considering resigning ?

L'enquête porte sur les liens noués par Begoña Gómez avec le groupe de tourisme Globalia, propriétaire de la compagnie aérienne Air Europa MAXPPP – IMAGO/Alberto Gardin

To everyone's surprise, the Spanish Prime Minister announced "think" to a resignation after the opening of an investigation against his wife for influence peddling and corruption, the result according to him of a campaign of destabilization orchestrated by the right-wing opposition.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this Wednesday, April 24, in a letter published on " to a possible resignation after the announcement of the opening of an investigation against his wife for influence peddling and corruption.

"I’I need to stop and think" in order to decide "if I should continue to be at the head of the government or if I should renounce this honor”, he said wrote on the social network

This preliminary investigation targets his wife Begoña Gómez. It was opened on April 16 after a complaint from the association "Manos limpias" (Clean Hands), announced Wednesday the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid. This collective, at the origin of several legal proceedings in recent years, is considered close to the extreme right.

In his letter, Pedro Sánchez denounces a complaint based on facts "non-existent" and a campaign of "harassment" against his wife, led by "ultraconservative" and supported, according to him, by the right-wing and far-right opposition.

"I'm not naive", he said : &amp ;quot;I am aware of the fact that they are filing a complaint against Begoña, not because she did something illegal, because they know well that this is not true, but because she is my wife".

Air Europa rescue plan

According to the online media El Confidencial, which revealed the information, this investigation concerns in particular the links established by Begoña Gómez with the tourism group Globalia, owner of the airline Air Europa, at the time when the latter was in talks with the government to obtain public aid during the Covid pandemic.

At the time, Begoña Gomez headed IE Africa Center, a foundation linked to the Madrid business school IE University, a position she left in 2022. However, IE Africa Center had "signed a sponsorship agreement with Globalia in 2020", writes El Confidencial, according to which Begoña Gomez would have participated in "a private meeting with its CEO Javier Hidalgo at the time when Globalia was negotiating its rescue plan".

This plan enabled Air Europa to receive, in November 2020, 475 million euros, from a fund of 10 billion intended to support strategic companies in difficulty in cause of the health crisis. The Spanish company was the first company to benefit from this fund. But dozens of others followed, including several air carriers (Iberia, Vueling, Volotea…).

"Trumpist practices"

After the publication of Pedro Sánchez's letter, the Popular Party (PP, right), the main opposition party, called on the Prime Minister to &quot ;appear urgently to give a serious explanation on the scandals surrounding his party, his government and his partner, instead of disappearing for five days.

Mr Sánchez "focuses on victimization and pity rather than responsibility and clarity",insisted the conservative party, suggesting that its threat of resignation could result from a political poker move.

Those close to the Prime Minister have, on the other hand, stepped up to defend him, like the number three in the government Teresa Ribera. "Not everything is possible in politics": "neither him  her family does not deserve this, any more than Spain does", she wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, the number two in the government, Maria Jesus Montero, denounced the "Trumpist practices" of the PP, whom she accused "of using a false accusation of a far-right organization to defame and launch slander" towards the Prime Minister.

Founded in 1995, the Manos limpias collective, at the origin of the investigation against Begoña Gómez, is considered close to the extreme right due to the personality of its founder Miguel Bernad, former leader of the Frente Nacional party, dissolved in 1993.

Accused of being involved in an extortion network, the latter was sentenced to four years in prison in July 2021, but was finally acquitted on appeal on last month, due to lack of evidence according to the court.