Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Testifies in Judicial Investigation

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is testifying in a judicial investigation concerning alleged corruption involving his wife, Begona Gomez. Accusations suggest Gomez used her influence to secure university sponsors. Sanchez denies these claims, asserting they are politically motivated. This marks the first time a sitting Spanish PM testifies in such a case.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is slated to testify on Tuesday in a judicial probe examining allegations of corruption and influence peddling involving his wife, Begona Gomez. Sanchez, who contemplated resigning over the allegations in April, maintains that the accusations are unfounded and politically driven by right-wing adversaries.

The investigation focuses on whether Gomez exploited her role as the prime minister's spouse to secure sponsorships for a master's degree course she administered. The accusations have been vigorously denied by Sanchez, who asserts they are a baseless smear campaign orchestrated by his political opponents.

In an unprecedented move, investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado arrived at the government's Madrid headquarters to question Sanchez. He is joined by legal representatives, including those from the prosecutor’s office and the far-right party VOX, which initiated the legal action. Outside the La Moncloa palace, protesters voiced their dissent against Sanchez and his Socialist Party. This marks the first time a sitting Spanish prime minister has been summoned to testify in a judicial trial since 2017, when Mariano Rajoy faced similar scrutiny in a corruption case.