Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refuses to resign, vows to step up fight against “unfounded attacks”

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he will not tender his resignation and will step up his fight against “baseless attacks”, CNN reports. His comments come five days after a Spanish court suspended his public duty to “contemplate” about continuing in the job after opening an investigation against his wife Begoña Gomez.

Sanchez announced his decision in a televised address from his official compound in Madrid on Monday. His comments follow a corruption complaint against his wife Begoña Gomez by the far-right organization Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).

He announced, “I have decided to remain, if possible, with more power, as head of the Spanish government.”

The Spanish PM said he would step up his fight against “baseless” attacks, such as the one against his wife, which he has previously blamed on conservative and far-right forces, CNN reports.

“I act on a clear belief,” said Pedro Sanchez. Or we will say a lot about this decline otherwise it will condemn us as a nation.” He further said, ”This is not an ideological question. “It is a question of dignity and what defines us as a society.”

“My wife and I know that this campaign (against us) will not stop,” he said, adding that it has been going on for 10 years. He thanked members of his Spanish Socialist Party for their support.

His decision on Monday came after the Madrid Regional Superior Court of Justice opened an investigation against Gomez “for alleged influence peddling and business corruption” following a complaint by Manos Limpias.

Reports related to the investigation emerged on April 24, and Sánchez announced he had suspended his public duties until Monday to “pause and consider” whether he should continue leading the government, CNN reported.

In a post on X, Sanchez said that Clean Hands’ complaint appears to be based on “alleged information” published by some “far-right and far-right” digital media.

According to the press office of the Spanish Attorney General, on April 25, prosecutors presented an appeal against the investigation to the judge and requested him to end the case.

The same day, Manos Limpias admitted that he had relied on press reports for his court complaint. “It will be up to the judge to decide whether the journalistic information is true or not,” the group said in a statement.

A Spanish prosecution source said prosecutors found no indication of a crime that would justify opening an investigation against Gomez, CNN reported.

On Friday, another group associated with conservative causes, Hejte Oir (Make Yourself Heard), made public its complaint against Gómez in the same court, citing only alleged “wielding influence” against her.

In a post on Called the decision “a courageous decision”. “Reclaim the dignity of politics and commit to stopping those who try to undermine our democracy.”

Meanwhile, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, leader of the main conservative opposition Popular Party, said, “This crisis neither started last Wednesday nor will it end today. This is part of the various years of embarrassment. “On top of that, just months into this current legislature, which is slipping back into stability.”