Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez faces his most testing week yet as the courts prepare to scrutinise both his wife's and his predecessor's alleged wrongdoing. The dual probes are likely to spark intense debate, not just in Spain but also within Britain, where a recent survey revealed nearly 60% of respondents believed corruption was rife among European politicians.
Ms Gómez has been summoned to court on Monday afternoon following a two-year investigation into embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings, and misappropriation of funds. The accusations centre around her alleged use of her position as the Prime Minister's spouse to secure and manage a role at Madrid's Complutense University, and using public resources for personal gain. Her personal assistant and a businessman are also implicated in the case, all denying wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is due to testify before Spain's highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, later this week. He is under investigation for alleged influence peddling and other offences related to the state bailout of airline Plus Ultra during the Covid-19 pandemic. The inquiry examines the use of public funds in the £46 million rescue and potential money laundering through various European countries.
The development has added another layer of complexity to Mr Zapato's case after a recent announcement by the Audiencia Nacional into potential tax fraud and smuggling, following the discovery of jewellery valued at over £1.1 million in his office safe during the Plus Ultra inquiry. Both he and Ms Gómez have denied all allegations.
These probes are being led by complaints from Manos Limpias, or 'Clean Hands', a self-described trade union with reported far-right connections, known for pursuing legal action against individuals it perceives as threats to Spanish democratic interests. Mr Sánchez has consistently dismissed the allegations against his wife as politically motivated smears, questioning the impartiality of certain judicial members and accusing opponents of targeting his family.
The conservative People's Party (PP) has seized on these events, reiterating its demand for a snap general election. The party described the week as a "judicial calvary" for the government and a "national embarrassment" for Spain, highlighting the profound political fallout from the ongoing legal challenges facing prominent figures within the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).