Pedro Sánchez accuses Spanish judges of politicizing justice

Tuesday 02 September 2025 - 08:10

By: Sahili Aya

Pedro Sánchez accuses Spanish judges of politicizing justice

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused certain judges of using the judiciary for political purposes, in response to ongoing investigations targeting members of his family and close associates.

In a rare televised interview with Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE, Sánchez stated: “There are judges who practice politics, just as there are politicians who attempt to deliver justice. Unfortunately, this minority exists and causes serious damage to the judicial system.”

The socialist leader argued that the accusations against his relatives stem from “false complaints and press clippings promoted by far-right organizations.”

Since April 2024, Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, has been formally charged in several corruption and influence-peddling cases. Prosecutors suspect that she may have used her husband’s political position to secure funding for an academic program she directed at Madrid’s Complutense University.

His younger brother has also been under investigation since 2024 for alleged embezzlement, tax fraud, and influence peddling. Both inquiries were reportedly initiated after complaints filed by groups linked to the far right.

Other allies of Sánchez have been implicated in judicial proceedings. Former Socialist Party number three Santos Cerdán was detained in June in a probe involving bribes tied to public contracts. The same investigation also names former minister José Luis Ábalos and his adviser Koldo García.

Sánchez insisted that he had “no objective information” indicating that these associates could have engaged in corruption, rejecting claims of systemic corruption within the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE).

The scandals have fueled intense political debate, with opposition parties repeatedly calling for Sánchez’s resignation. However, the Prime Minister maintains that the judicial pressure on him and his family represents politically motivated attempts to weaken his government.