Spanish PM Sánchez weighs options amid wife corruption accusations
Spain has been plunged into uncertainty.
The country's PM Pedro Sánchez is considering his resignation after legal proceedings were opened against his wife Begoña Gómez for alleged corruption.
The Spanish leader will announce his decision next Monday (29 April), following a ve- day reection period.
In an open letter to citizens published on Wednesday, Sánchez announced he would interrupt his agenda this week to "stop and refl ect" on his future.
"At this point, the question I legitimately ask myself is, is all this worth it? Honestly, I don't know," Sánchez said in his statement.
Sánchez claims complaints of corruption against his wife, which have been admitted for processing by a court in Madrid, are fabrications.
He says they have been created to attack his family and persona, as part of an operation of "harassment and demolition" carried out by his political adversaries.
'Sánchez yes or Sánchez no' Sánchez is one of the most divisive characters on the Spanish political scene. The opposition has targeted him as an individual to criticise the government's actions, adopting the term "Anti-Sanchism."
On the street, citizens also show divided opinions. Some regret his possible decision to leave offi ce. Others consider it appropriate for Sánchez to resign. Then there are those who believe it is merely a political strategy for his socialist party to stay in power. If Sánchez decides to step back, he would leave his opponents without their main electoral arguments.
With no clear alternatives to replace him as prime minister, Sánchez could position his possible resignation as a plebiscite on his place in politics.
"You have to be very naive to think that the president of the government does not know what he is going to do on Monday. So it is not so much that I take my time to refl ect but that you take your time to refl ect, think about what the country if I did not maintain the presidency of the government," explained Luis Arroyo, president of Public Communication Advisors and expert in political communication.
A change in electoral narrative?
Beyond his personal motivations, Sánchez has introduced a new issue that could infl uence Spain's electoral campaign, which could culminate in the European elections.
Face with the allegations of amnesty or corruption, he has proposed to Spaniards a wider debate on democratic regeneration.
According to the CIS study on 'Democratic Habits', 89% of people in Spain believe there is “a lot or pretty much” of political tension in the country. Some 80% are “very or quite” concerned this tension exists.
Meanwhile, 88% believe it is “very or quite important” to reduce such tension in Spain.
For 17% of Spaniards, "bad behaviour" of politicians is one of the three main problems in Spain, according to the latest CIS barometer.
With his open letter, Pedro Sánchez "tries to establish a new framework in the conversation, just at the beginning of two campaigns. The Catalan campaign and the campaign for the European Parliament next month," expert Arroyo said.
"So clearly there is also a strategy. This is not incompatible with the sincerity of his words, but there is a strategy. The framework is not ' amnesty yes or amnesty no' or 'Independence of Catalonia yes or independence of Catalonia no.' The framework is institutionalist and respect or, on the contrary, the 'lies' on the part of the extreme right."
A possible future in Europe
It is unknown whether Sánchez will resign on Monday.
Arroyo says it is likely that, if the PM did resign, he could continue his political career abroad.
"He (Sánchez) moves very well in international environments. He is a very respected person in Europe and also in the US and Latin America. I think it cannot be ruled out that he goes to other areas where he is more respected, he has a greater authority and the opposition is less harsh of course, which is in the international arena. That can be Europe, but also the United States or Latin America," the public communications expert said.
Others disagree that he will quit.
The president of the opposition Popular Party Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has accused Sánchez of trying to "frighten the opposition, judges and journalists."
He says he does not believe the head of the Spanish Government will resign, claiming he "will end up going down alone."
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right party Vox, says the scandal may be "another of his propaganda manoeuvres to present himself as a poor victim, and thus silence the indignation of a large majority of Spanish citizens."
Government partners close ranks
The socialist party and its government partners have expressed their support for Sánchez.
Minister of Finance and Civil Service, María Jesús Montero, has maintained the government is trying to encourage Pedro Sánchez not to resign.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former president of the Government and former leader of the PSOE, has called for "mobilization" of the militants and sympathizers of the Socialist Party,
He has guaranteed that they will react with "democratic courage" which he has described as "insidious".
The ERC spokesperson in the Congress of Deputies, Gabriel Ru
án, has asked Sánchez not to resign from offi ce.
At the same time, he has announced that the president can count on his support if he decides to run for confi dence.