Scandal Strikes Prime Minister's Family with Conviction of Brother

David Sanchez, brother of Spain's Prime Minister, was found guilty of administrative misconduct and barred from public office for nine years. Convicted for misusing power in a senior cultural post appointment, this ruling intensifies the political troubles surrounding Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's administration amidst mounting corruption scandals.

David Sanchez, the brother of Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, was convicted of administrative misconduct on Tuesday. He has been banned from holding public office for nine years due to his 2017 appointment to a senior cultural post by the provincial government of Badajoz.

This ruling adds a fresh political hurdle for the Socialist premier, Pedro Sanchez, whose administration has been plagued by corruption-related investigations and scandals over the past two years. Last month, a former close aide to Sanchez was given a 24-year prison sentence in a separate corruption case. Allegations against David Sanchez centered on a position allegedly tailored for him because of his relation to the prime minister, a claim Pedro Sanchez has described as politically motivated by far-right elements.

The Badajoz court found that the position awarded to David Sanchez, overseeing the province's music conservatories, was created without any legitimate administrative need and catered to his personal interests. The court criticized the arbitrary exercise of power by the defendants solely to favor specific individuals. Notably, one of the posts was modified to align with David Sanchez's interest in opera. The ruling is subject to appeal.