Spanish PM takes break from public duties — RT World News
Pedro Sanchez says he needs a break as his wife faces an influence-peddling investigation
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez suspended his public duties “Stop and think” On whether he would remain in the job, after the court opened a preliminary investigation into his wife's alleged illegal activities.
The prime minister issued a four-page letter on Wednesday in which he said he had taken five days off from his public duties and would announce his decision to stay on or resign on Monday. Sanchez has been in office since 2018, and last year obtained another term for the Spanish Socialist Workers Party as leader of a minority coalition government.
“I urgently need to answer the question I keep asking myself: Is it worth staying here? [in office] Despite the slander practiced by the right and the extreme right? The Prime Minister wrote explaining the decision in what he called “Unprecedented slander and harassment.”
The announcement came hours after Spanish media reported that a Madrid judge had launched a preliminary investigation into whether the prime minister's wife, Begona Gomez, had used her government connections to advance her own business interests.
The court did not provide details about the charges against Gomez other than to say that it began investigating allegations of influence peddling and corruption on April 16.
The complaint against Gomez was raised by anti-corruption activists Manos Limpias, or “Clean Hands”, who have been involved in a number of high-profile court cases in recent years. The platform is reportedly led by a man linked to the far right.
Manos Limpias issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging that his allegations may be false, as they were based on online press reports. “If it is not true, the person who published it will bear responsibility for the falsehood.” The platform claimed.
According to media reports, the Madrid Public Prosecution Office requested, on Thursday, the dismissal of the corruption case against Gomez.
Sanchez said that his wife will defend her honor and work with the judiciary to clarify that there is no basis for the allegations against her.
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