Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declined to testify on Tuesday in a graft investigation involving his wife, Begoña Gomez.
The hearing took place at the Moncloa Palace, with Sanchez invoking his legal right not to testify against close family members, according to Spanish law.
The session, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, saw Sanchez confronted by a judge, representatives from the prosecutor’s office, and a lawyer from the far-right party Vox. Marta Castro, a lawyer for Vox, confirmed the Prime Minister’s refusal to answer questions, stating, “Sanchez invoked his right not to testify.”
The investigation focuses on allegations that Gomez used her position as the Prime Minister’s wife to secure sponsors for a university master’s degree course she ran. Sanchez has vehemently denied these accusations, labelling them as politically motivated attacks orchestrated by right-wing opponents.
“These accusations are baseless and orchestrated by our political foes,” Sanchez has stated in his defense.
The inquiry at Moncloa, Sanchez’s official residence and government headquarters in Madrid, marks a significant moment in Spanish politics. It is the first time a sitting Prime Minister has been summoned to testify since Mariano Rajoy, Sanchez’s predecessor, was called as a witness in a 2017 corruption case. That case led to the conviction of several members of Rajoy’s conservative People’s Party and ultimately triggered a 2018 vote of no confidence, propelling Sanchez to the premiership.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Sanchez was accompanied by Gomez’s legal counsel and representatives from the prosecutor’s office. Vox’s lawyer also attended, leveraging a legal instrument known as “the people’s accusation,” which allows private individuals to bring criminal complaints against third parties.
Outside the Moncloa Palace, a small group of protesters gathered, chanting slogans against Sanchez and his Socialist Party.
