Why is Spanish president Pedro Sánchez considering resigning?

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is considering resigning following the rumors spread about his wife Begoña Gómez. The socialist announced this in a "letter to citizens" that he shared on his social media accounts.

"The seriousness of the accusations my wife and I are facing and the need to give a calm response make me believe that this is the best way to express my opinion," Sánchez said in his written statement, published just hours after it became known that a Madrid court had opened an investigation into a complaint filed by the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization against his wife.

Sánchez, who claims in his letter that the attacks on his wife were part of a plan orchestrated by the Spanish right and far-right, wants to pause to reflect on whether it is "still worth the effort to continue at the head of the government."

"Apparently, the judge will summon the heads of two digital newspapers that reported on this matter as witnesses," the president tells citizens, adding: "In my opinion, these are media with a pronounced right-wing and ultra-right orientation."

"It is only logical that Begoña will defend her honor and cooperate with the justice system to shed light on the seemingly scandalous and nonexistent facts."

The Social Democrat claims that the accusations against his wife are "false information" and that they follow a "strategy of harassment and destruction that has been going on for months."

Sanchez therefore asks: "Is it all worth it? I honestly don't know."

"This attack is so unprecedented, so serious and so brutal that I have to stop and think about it with my wife. We often forget that behind politicians there are also people. And I, I am not ashamed of my decision, I am a man who loves his wife very much and lives with the helplessness with which she is showered day after day."

That is why the Spanish Prime Minister has set a date to make a decision by: next Monday, April 29. Then he will announce his decision: "I will cancel my public appointments for a few days so that I can think and decide which path I will take. On April 29, I will appear before the media and announce my decision."

But how did this happen, and what was the trigger for the Spanish president to consider giving up his post as head of government?

For months, some media, opposition politicians and organizations such as the pseudo-union Manos Limpias (an organization with links to right-wing extremism) have raised the possibility of economic corruption and influence peddling, which could be carried out by Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez.

On Wednesday, April 24, it was announced that a Madrid court had decided to open an investigation following a lawsuit filed by Manos Limpias: "The lawsuit consists of seven pages and eight newspaper clippings," according to the broadcaster "Cadena SER".

"Eight articles, at least one of which was proven to be false, and the media picked up that story and had to correct it."

In the articles, the wife of the Spanish Prime Minister was accused of "alleged meetings" with the businessmen Carlos Barrabés and Víctor de Aldama.

The president's wife "took advantage of her status as 'wife of' to favor businessmen by recommending or supporting businessmen who applied for public tenders through a letter of recommendation with her signature," according to the complaint by Manos Limpias, which was taken up by  the Spanish media outlet "Cadena SER".

According to the complainants, these letters of recommendation, allegedly signed by President Sánchez's wife, "triggered the awarding of contracts to businessmen with whom they had a friendly relationship."

An alleged "crime of influence peddling", according to the complainants, which is being investigated by the Spanish judiciary and could lead to the resignation of Pedro Sánchez.