Spain’s Prime Minister considers his future

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has cancelled all public duties until Monday and announced that he is considering whether to resign or not.

“I need to stop and reflect,” Sánchez posted on Twitter. “It’s urgent that I consider whether it’s worth carrying on, despite the swamp into which the right and extreme-right have turned politics.”

The announcement follows a complaint against Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, by the Manos Limpias association, accusing her of corruption and influence trafficking.

The PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party) believes the accusations are groundless, and several regional party branches, including Lanzarote’s have issued messages of support for Sánchez.

Manos Limpias describes itself as a trade union for civil servants, but its main activity appears to be issuing lawsuits, many of which are described as having a far-right agenda.

If Sánchez resigns, the PSOE will have to elect a new leader. The possibility of a a new general election less than a year after last May’s vote would also be strong.