BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥� Spanish Prime Minister denied corruption allegations against his wife but said he will consider resigning after the launch Wednesday of a judicial investigation into accusations by a right-wing legal platform that she used her position to influence business deals.
S谩nchez said in a letter posted on his X account that while the allegations against his wife Bego帽a G贸mez are false, he is canceling his public agenda until Monday when he will announce whether he will continue or step down.
鈥淚 need to stop and reflect,鈥� S谩nchez wrote. 鈥淚 must answer the question if it is worth it to continue, given the mud pit the right and far right have made out of our politics, if I must continue at the helm of the government or renounce that highest of honors.鈥�
S谩nchez, 52, has been Spain鈥檚 prime minister since 2018. He was able to in November to start another four-year term. He is one of Europe鈥檚 longest serving Socialist leaders.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Spanish judge agreed to probe allegations of corruption made by a private group with a history of filing lawsuits mainly for right-wing causes. The court based in Madrid will consider the allegations and proceed with the investigation or toss it out.
鈥淏ego帽a will defend her honor and collaborate with the justice system in every way that is required to clarify that these facts that appear scandalous are in fact nonexistent,鈥� S谩nchez said.
G贸mez, 49, does not hold public office and maintains a low political profile.
Manos Limpias, or 鈥淐lean Hands,鈥� accuses G贸mez of allegedly having used her position to influence business deals. The court did not provide further information and said that the probe was under seal.
Manos Limpias describes itself as a union, but its main activity is a platform pursuing legal cases. Many have been linked to right-wing causes. It acts as the 鈥減opular prosecution,鈥� a peculiarity of Spanish law that allows individuals or entities to take part in certain criminal cases even when they haven鈥檛 been directly harmed by the accused.
Justice Minister F茅lix Bola帽os called the new allegations 鈥渇alse."
Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda D铆az, the leader of the junior member of S谩nchez鈥檚 government, publicly backed him against 鈥渢his offensive by the Right.鈥�
The possibility of a governmental crisis comes just weeks before important regional elections in Catalonia followed by European elections in June.
S谩nchez accused online news sites politically aligned with the leading opposition conservative Popular Party and the far right Vox party of spreading what he called 鈥渟purious鈥� allegations that he said led to the judicial probe.
The Popular Party criticized S谩nchez for 鈥減laying the role of the victim instead of holding himself accountable.鈥�
Last month, Spain鈥檚 government watchdog for conflict of interests tossed out a complaint made by the Popular Party against S谩nchez whereby the opposition party claimed that G贸mez had allegedly influenced her husband in a decision related to an airline.
Spain鈥檚 leader said that he was moved in part to reflect on his future due to his love for his wife.
鈥淭his attack is without precedent, it is so serious and coarse that I need to stop and reflect with my wife,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ost of the time we forget that politicians are people. And I do not blush to say it, but I am a man who is deeply in love with my wife, who is living with the feeling of impotence while being pelted with mud.鈥�
鈥淭o summarize, this is an operation to harass me by land, sea and air to try and make me give up politics through a personal attack on my wife,鈥� S谩nchez wrote.
Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
