Spanish PM’s family affair: the corruption cases involving Pedro Sánchez’s brother, wife and predecessor
Socialist leader insists no wrongdoing by family and backs former prime minister, but has much to contend with
TL;DR
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's brother, David Sánchez, faces trial for influence peddling and misuse of public office.
- Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, has been charged with embezzlement, influence peddling, and corruption in business dealings.
- Former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under investigation for alleged influence peddling concerning an airline bailout.
- Two of Sánchez's former close associates, Santos Cerdán and José Luis Ábalos, are also implicated in corruption cases involving kickbacks on public contracts.
- The Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, was banned from his post for leaking confidential information.
- Sánchez has dismissed allegations against his family, calling them politically motivated smear campaigns, and has questioned the independence of some members of the judiciary.
- Opposition parties, including the PP and Vox, are calling for an early general election.
- The PSOE headquarters were searched by anti-corruption police investigating a plot to destabilize judicial proceedings.
- Sánchez has denied wrongdoing by his family and defended Zapatero's right to the presumption of innocence.