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Spanish Court Orders PM’s Wife to Stand Trial and Bars Her From Leaving

The ruling raises the political stakes for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez by formalizing criminal charges against his wife.

Overview

  • The court ordered Begoña Gómez to face a jury trial and banned her from leaving Spain, with judges instructing airports and border posts to enforce the travel restriction.
  • Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado required Gómez to surrender her passport and to report to court twice a month after deciding she should stand trial.
  • Peinado formally charged Gómez in April with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds linked to the case.
  • The probe focuses on a Complutense University chair co-directed by Gómez and alleges the post was used to channel public resources and private benefits.
  • Gómez and Prime Minister Sánchez deny wrongdoing, critics demand Sánchez resign, and the case adds to several ongoing probes of his allies that could strain his minority government.