Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatens to quit amid right-wing attacks on wife
- The leader has cancelled public appearances through the weekend, paralysing the country’s political system and raising the possibility of a new election
- The PM’s wife, Begona Gomez, is being investigated for alleged influence peddling, in what Sanchez calls a politically motivated smear campaign
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Wednesday that he may resign over right-wing attacks against him and his wife, a move that would push the country into uncharted political territory and raise the possibility of a new general election.
Sanchez, 52, cancelled his public appearances through the weekend and said he’d reflect on the situation and announce his decision on Monday, effectively paralysing Spain’s political system for the next five days.
“Is all this worth it?” he asked in an open letter posted on X. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
If Sanchez decides to step down, it would most likely trigger new elections. It’s possible for the prime minister to resign and hand over power, but this would require the support of a majority of lawmakers, which would be highly unlikely in Spain’s politically fragmented parliament.
Sanchez could also be using this as an opportunity to trigger a vote of confidence as a potential means to shore up his mandate in parliament, according to Federico Santi, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group.