Spain’s prime minister faces difficult week as wife and ex-PM summoned before judges

Pedro Sánchez has found his family, his party and his administration engulfed by a series of scandals. Photograph: Chema Moya/EPA View image in fullscreen Pedro Sánchez has found his family, his party and his administration engulfed by a series of scandals. Photograph: Chema Moya/EPA Spain’s prime minister faces difficult week as wife and ex-PM summoned before judges Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, charged and predecessor José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero investigated over offences including influence peddling Europe live – latest updates Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez , is facing one of the longest and most difficult weeks of his premiership as his wife and his fellow socialist predecessor prepare to appear before judges investigating them for alleged influence peddling and other offences. Sánchez, who came to power in 2018 by promising to end the corruption that had mired the ruling conservative People’s party (PP), has found his family, his party and his administration engulfed by a series of scandals . His wife, Begoña Gómez, has been summoned to court on Monday afternoon by a judge who has charged her with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds at the end of a two-year investigation. She has been accused of using her influence as the spouse of the prime minister to secure and manage a post at Madrid’s Complutense University, and of using public resources and personal connections to further her private interests. The judge, Juan Carlos Peinado, has also charged Gómez’s personal assistant, Cristina Álvarez, and a businessman, Juan Carlos Barrabés, in connection with the case. Gómez, Álvarez and Barrabés – who have all denied wrongdoing – are expected to face a jury trial. View image in fullscreen Sánchez has repeatedly dismissed the case against his wife, Begoña Gómez, as a baseless and politically motivated smear. Photograph: Alejandro García/EPA The investigation into Gómez was triggered by a complaint from Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), a self-styled trade union with far-right links that has a history of using the courts to pursue those it deems a threat to Spain’s democratic interests. Sánchez had repeatedly dismissed the case against his wife as a baseless and politically motivated smear . The prime minister has accused his political and media opponents of pursuing his family and has also openly questioned the impartiality of some members of the judiciary. Sánchez’s brother, David, is on trial for alleged influence peddling in another case that began with a complaint from Manos Limpias . He is accused of being handed a bespoke job as the coordinator of music conservatories by the socialist-led council of the south-western city of Badajoz in July 2017, when his brother was the national leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) but not yet prime minister. David Sánchez, who denies the charges, faces a three-year prison term if found guilty. View image in fullscreen Dav