Spanish PM’s wife Begona Gómez to stand trial for influence peddling

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begona Gómez, will stand trial for influence peddling and misappropriation of public funds.Gómez must face trial because judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who oversaw the criminal investigation, found “reasonable indications of criminal conduct”, according to a decision filed on Monday. These indications are strong enough for a jury to have to decide whether crimes were committed, said Peinado.The scandal involving Gómez has rocked Spanish politics for more than two years, with the government and Sánchez repeatedly denying any wrongdoing and saying that the investigation is part of a broader political attack against him and his administration. The prime minister and his Socialist Party have been facing mounting troubles with a series of criminal investigations undermining his support among voters.READ MOREPeinado said Gómez took advantage of her high-profile position to secure a post at a university in Madrid and then used the post to channel public funds into a software development project.Gómez is accused of misappropriation of public funds for having a personal assistant, paid by the government, help with tasks related to her private activities. The aide will also stand trial.Sánchez’s brother David was recently barred from holding public office for nine years following a separate case, in which he was found guilty of “administrative misconduct”.One of Sánchez’s former right-hand men has been found guilty of corruption, another faces criminal charges, and former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a political mentor of the premier, is under investigation for graft.“This as an arbitrary and unjust investigation that is solely the result of the judicial persecution of Begona Gómez for being the prime minister’s wife,” said Sánchez’s office in a Monday statement. “Her innocence has been clear and demonstrated throughout the investigation, and we are certain that it will also be demonstrated at trial.”Sánchez is expected to face elections in mid-2027 and his wife’s legal troubles are unlikely to lead to an early departure. Under Spanish parliamentary rules, opposition parties need to unite around an alternative candidate to bring a vote of no confidence, making it difficult to oust a sitting prime minister, even when they no longer command a majority.The prosecutor had requested that Gómez be cleared of charges. Under Spanish law, the investigating judge is not part of the trial. – Reuters