Politics

Spanish PM says he will continue despite corruption investigation against his wife

Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images
Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images
podpis źródła zdjęcia

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday he had decided to continue in office, days after abruptly announcing he was considering his future following the launch of a corruption investigation against his wife.

The center-left prime minister, 52, surprised foes and allies alike when he said on Wednesday he was taking time from public duty to consider quitting. He described the court investigation of his wife, Begoña Gómez, for influence peddling and business corruption as orchestrated by his opponents.

Sánchez met King Felipe VI on Monday—a step that would have been necessary should he have decided to resign—but announced in a televised address that he had informed the monarch of his decision to stay on. He had been encouraged to stay by widespread expressions of support over the weekend, Sánchez said.
“I have decided to go on, if possible, even stronger as prime minister. This is not business as usual; things are going to be different,” he said in a national broadcast.

His announcement that he might quit had caused further turmoil in Spanish politics, where a fractious parliament has struggled to form coalition governments after close elections. If a new election were required, it would have been the fourth in five years.

Scottish First Minister set to resign

Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf will resign as early as Monday, the BBC reported, after the possibility of him winning a vote of confidence this week appeared to dwindle over the weekend.

“Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf (is) to resign as early as today, the BBC understands,” BBC News stated.

Last week, Yousaf abruptly ended a power-sharing agreement between his Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Green Party in the hopes that he could lead a minority government, but opposition parties have tabled a vote of no confidence.

His popularity also took a hit following Scotland’s implementation of a new hate crime legislation at the beginning of April. Yousaf was one of its strongest advocates.

However, Yousaf himself faced thousands of early complaints for using anti-white rhetoric, in reference to a now notorious speech he gave in the Scottish Parliament on February 20, 2023.
Source: Reuters
More In Politics MORE...