Thousands of supporters and party members of Spain’s Socialist party rallied outside the party’s national headquarters in Madrid on Saturday to show their support for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and urge him not to step down. Sánchez stunned Spain on Wednesday when he announced that he was canceling his itinerary while he considers whether or not to resign after what he described as a “smear campaign” against his wife. Sánchez’s shocking announcement came hours after a Spanish judge opened a preliminary investigation into allegation of corruption made against Sánchez’s wife by a group aligned with right-wing interests.
Thousands of Spanish journalists came out Friday in support of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his wife following Sánchez’s announcement that he was considering his future as premier after a court opened preliminary proceedings against his wife on corruption allegations. Sánchez, who is to announce his future Monday, blamed the judicial probe on “spurious” attacks by right and far-right opponents in the media and political parties. In support, several thousand journalists and writers signed an online manifesto saying, “the attack by the media and judicial extreme right against the wife of the President of the Government is a new attempt to subvert the popular will expressed at the polls through illicit means.”