DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,
The left-leaning premier promises to continue in office ‘with even more strength’ after several days of reflection.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced he will not step down amid a corruption investigation into his wife’s affairs, averting the threat of political gridlock in Madrid.
After meeting with King Felipe VI on Monday, the left-leaning prime minister, who had temporarily stepped away from his duties as he mulled his response, promised to continue in office “with even more strength”.
The 52-year-old Sanchez made a surprise announcement on Wednesday when he said he was taking time off to “reflect” on whether to resign despite having insisted that the inquiry involving his wife, Begona Gomez, was organised by Spain’s rival conservative political forces.
The prospect of Sanchez’s resignation caused some turmoil last week with demonstrations organised both for and against him.
However, the leaders of his Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party put their support behind the premier while left-wing presidents like Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro also backed him.
This is a developing story and will be updated soon.