“Pedro, stay!” Thousands of supporters of the Spanish Socialist Party implored Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Saturday April 27 not to leave his post. In power since 2018, the 52-year-old head of government took Spain by surprise on Wednesday by putting his resignation in the balance after the announcement by a Madrid court of the opening of an investigation into drug trafficking. influence and corruption against his wife, Begoña Gómez.
The head of government has since remained silent and canceled all his commitments, leaving the country suspended until the announcement of his decision on Monday April 29. On Thursday, the prosecution requested the closure of the investigation but the judge in charge of the case has not yet revealed his intentions.
The investigation against Begoña Gómez, opened following accusations made by a far-right association, concerns in particular, according to the online media The Confidentialon the links she established with the Globalia group, sponsor of the foundation in which she worked, at the time when Air Europa, an airline belonging to Globalia, was negotiating with the Sánchez government to obtain public aid.
Waiting for, some 12,500 peopleaccording to the prefecture of Madrid, gathered on Saturday at midday, to express their support, in front of the headquarters of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) where the leadership of the formation was gathered.
Destabilization campaign
Pedro Sánchez assures that the investigation opened against his wife is the latest illustration of a campaign of destabilization orchestrated by “a coalition of right-wing and far-right interests” who “do not accept the verdict of the ballot boxes”.
Coming second in the legislative elections on July 23 behind his conservative rival Alberto Núñez Feijóo (Popular Party, PP), the socialist managed to be reappointed in November for a new four-year term thanks to the support of the radical left and the Basque and regionalist parties. Catalans.
Gathered inside the party headquarters, the leaders of the party came to greet the crowd and also called on the Prime Minister not to resign. The ministers closest to Pedro Sánchez assure that the latter did not consult them before weighing his resignation.
“Electoralist” ad
No one in Spain ventures to predict the decision that the Prime Minister might take. If he decides to stay in his post, he could choose to submit to a question of confidence in order to show the opposition that he enjoys the support of a majority of MPs. If he resigns, early legislative elections could be called this summer, with or without him at the head of the PSOE.
The right-wing opposition is convinced that the socialist will not resign and denounces “victimization” and a “spectacle”. The Prime Minister’s announcement is “tactical and electoral”, said Saturday the general secretary of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, who believes that Mr. Sánchez thinks “to obtain, by victimizing himself, support from which he does not benefit today” .