Spain's prime minister halts public duties as wife faces inquiry

 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has suspended public duties to "stop and reflect" on whether to remain in the job, after a court opened a preliminary inquiry into his wife, BBC reports.

In a statement, the Spanish leader said he urgently needed to decide "whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour". The Spanish prime minister said he would make a decision on his future before the media on April 29. In a lengthy statement on X, Sánchez complained of a "strategy of harassment" over months aimed at weakening him politically and personally targeting his wife.

The court said it was responding to corruption claims against Begoña Gómez. According to the report, the complaint against Gómez was raised by anti-corruption campaigners Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), who have taken part in a number of high-profile court cases in recent years and are led by a man linked to the far right.

PM Sánchez said his wife would defend her honour and work with the judiciary.

The court did not give details of the accusations against Begoña Gómez other than to say it had begun investigating allegations of influence peddling and corruption, BBC adds. However, El Confidencial website said on April 24 that the inquiry was looking into her links to private companies that had secured government money or public contracts.