Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Declines to Testify in Wife's Corruption Case

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez chose not to testify in a judicial investigation into his wife, Begona Gomez, who is accused of leveraging her position for personal gain. Sanchez called the accusations unfounded and politically motivated. The controversy led him to consider resigning in April.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declined to testify on Tuesday as a witness in an ongoing judicial investigation into alleged corruption involving his wife, Begona Gomez. The probe is looking into whether Gomez used her influence to secure sponsors for a university master's course, owned by her, according to legal representatives present at the hearing.

Sanchez has continually refuted these claims, labeling them as groundless and politically driven by right-wing opponents. In a show of resistance, the state attorney's office has filed a lawsuit on Sanchez's behalf against the presiding judge for alleged misconduct. Government spokesperson Pilar Alegria emphasized the lawsuit seeks to uphold judicial independence while protecting it from politically motivated actions.

Gomez has yet to publicly comment on the allegations. Her lawyer, former Interior Minister Antonio Camacho, confirmed that Sanchez's brief testimony consisted of him acknowledging Gomez as his wife and asserting his legal right not to testify. Protesters gathered outside the Moncloa palace where Sanchez resides, voicing their opposition to him and his Socialist Party.