Sánchez Averts Crisis, Yet Political Schism Deepens in Spain
Today, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain declared his intention to stay in office after days of intense speculation about his future.
While this move may have prevented a political crisis, it could exacerbate the country's divide between left and right factions. Standing outside his official residence, La Moncloa, the Socialist leader pledged to work diligently for the democracy's regeneration and the advancement of rights and freedoms.
By making this decision, Sánchez avoided becoming the first prime minister to resign during a legislature since Adolfo Suárez in 1981. His announcement to continue leading came just five days after surprising many, including his closest allies, by canceling official engagements to contemplate his next steps.
The abrupt move was triggered by the revelation that a court in Madrid had opened an inquiry into his wife, Begoña Gómez, due to allegations of influence peddling brought against her by a campaigning group, Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) with links to the far-right.
The preliminary investigation is examining whether Ms Gómez influenced the awarding of government money to private companies.
Specifically, it is examining the relationship between a foundation she ran called IE Africa Center and tourism group Globalia, whose airline Air Europa received a bailout worth €475m (£407m) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The evidence presented in the lawsuit consisted entirely of news clippings, one of which has already been shown to be false. Mr Sánchez and Ms Gómez have said the allegations, which had been published by right-wing media outlets for several weeks, are bogus. The Madrid public prosecutor has called for the case to be shelved due to lack of evidence.
Politicians on the left, such as former Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, have been particularly singled out. Iglesias had to cut short a family vacation due to harassment and faced far-right activists outside his home.
Since Iglesias left politics, Prime Minister Sánchez has become a lightning rod for the right. Last New Year's Eve, protesters hung an effigy of him outside his party's headquarters and beat it with sticks.
False conspiracy theories about his family, like claims about his partner's supposed transgender identity and ties to drug trafficking, have circulated in right-wing media. With the influence-peddling case brought by Clean Hands, the prime minister believes the campaign against him has shifted into the judicial realm, exposing not just weaknesses in politics but also in the justice system.
Many will doubt Sánchez's claim that there will be significant change following his brief absence from the public eye. The divisive political climate in Spain seems unlikely to improve soon, with the right-wing opposition criticizing Sánchez's handling of the allegations against his wife, which they see as provocative and potentially damaging to the judiciary.
This criticism is expected to persist in the coming weeks and months, particularly against a prime minister accused of constitutional recklessness due to his reliance on Catalan and Basque separatists in parliament. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People's Party (PP), warned against Spain following paths that compromise freedom, highlighting the contentious nature of the political space
