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Spanish prime minister's wife ordered to face corruption trial
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- A judge in Barcelona has ordered Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to stand trial on charges of influence peddling, corruption, misuse of public funds, and ordered her to surrender her passport due to flight risk concerns.
- Gómez is accused of leveraging her position to secure government contracts for technology companies and misusing resources during her tenure as a university professor; she denies all allegations.
- The ruling has intensified political tensions, with opposition parties demanding Sánchez's government resign, while the Socialist Party condemns the decision as a politically motivated witch hunt.
- A businessman allegedly benefiting from the contracts and a consultant linked to Gómez will also face trial, amid broader legal challenges facing Sánchez ahead of next year's general election.
- The investigation originated from accusations by the pressure group Manos Limpias, known for pursuing cases tied to conservative interests, further polarizing Spain's political landscape.
