Last week, the Spanish Prime Minister surprised his country by putting his resignation on the line following the announcement of a preliminary investigation into influence peddling and corruption against his wife by a Madrid court. Expectations were high surrounding his statement

On Monday 29 April, Pedro Sánchez announced that he would remain in office despite the investigation, denouncing a smear campaign. He expressed his gratitude for the support he had received and declared that he would continue to lead the Presidency thanks to the mobilisation in his favour.

He also shared his thoughts over the last few days on his continued leadership of the government, saying that allowing attacks on innocent people or the substitution of lies for debate was not worth it. He warned of the impact on Spanish society, stressing the need to reflect on what kind of society they wanted to be.

Pedro Sánchez also stressed that this investigation was not just about the fate of one leader, but about the direction of the whole of society. He insisted on the contamination of public life by slander, calling for deep reflection.

Following the announcement of the enquiry, the Prime Minister took five days to reflect on his political future, expressing his need to step back and consider whether he should continue to lead the government or relinquish this responsibility.

The pre-trial investigation, launched on 16 April, is targeting his wife and was initiated after a complaint from the association ‘Manos limpias’ (Clean Hands), reputed to be close to the far right.