Spain’s Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader, Pedro Sánchez, announced on Monday (April 29) that he will not resign despite “attacks from right-wing extremists.”
In a passionate address to the nation, Sánchez declared, “I have decided to continue serving as Prime Minister.”
Last Wednesday (April 24), Sánchez posted a four-page open letter on the social media platform X, revealing that due to the “continuous attacks on him and his family by right-wing organizations,” he would temporarily step down from public office and consider resigning from the position of Prime Minister.
Sánchez’s statement on Monday concluded his five-day period of “reflection,” during which an investigation was launched into whether his wife, Begoña Gómez, had used her government connections for personal gain.
This preliminary investigation was triggered by criminal accusations made by an organization associated with the far-right called “Clean Hands,” known for filing lawsuits against individuals connected to left-wing politics.
In his national address on Monday, Sánchez condemned the “toxic political environment” in Spain.
He stated, “If we believe that politics is about attacking innocent people, then it is not worth it. No honor is worth seeing your loved ones suffer.”
Following Sánchez’s resignation threat, over the weekend, senior members of his Socialist Party and thousands of supporters took to the streets in a show of solidarity. Sánchez expressed that the public support gives him confidence to continue in office.
He said, “The smear campaign against me and my family will not stop. But we can handle it. What matters is that we must appreciate the support from all sides.”
The explosive impact of Sánchez’s open letter last Wednesday afternoon led Spanish television and radio stations to interrupt their regular programming to broadcast the news, dominating the headlines of the country’s news websites.
The Spanish political scene responded swiftly. Yolanda Díaz, the Deputy Prime Minister leading the left-wing Suma Alliance (also known as the “Consensus Alliance”), expressed support for Sánchez, declaring, “We cannot let the right-wing forces prevail… We must defend our democracy.”
In contrast, the right-wing People’s Party accused Sánchez of playing the victim and indicated that rather than disappearing for five days, he should come clean about the “scandals surrounding his party, government, and allies.”
Sánchez has been in office since 2018, with his most recent re-election last November when he secured parliamentary support for a second term with a slim majority of 4 votes, with his Socialist Party and the left-wing Suma Alliance forming a minority government.
According to Politico’s European edition, Sánchez’s statement ended a tense weekend in Spain, as there is no clear successor to the Socialist Party leader, and the opposition leader of the People’s Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, also failed to garner the necessary support to form an alternative right-wing government. If Sánchez were to resign, Spain could potentially enter an unprecedented period of political uncertainty.
Traditionally, after the Prime Minister resigns, Spain would be governed by a “caretaker government” until parliament is dissolved and new elections are held in the summer.
Politico’s European edition believes that with the sudden resignation of the Prime Minister as the reshuffle of EU top positions is approaching in June, Spain may lose a strong voice in Brussels.