1.
Last night it was revealed that the Partido Popular when in government in 2004 was using its illicit contacts in the police to dig for dirt on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez. So that’s a decade they’ve been harassing her and her family. And so far, they’ve come up with nothing. Add to that the refusal of the opposition to accept the legitimacy of Sánchez’s governments as well as the constant personal vilification, the accusations of treachery, and of having usurped power. I think that would tend to get on a person’s nerves after a while. As would the unceasing insinuations about their relationship.
2.
Everyone knows that the charges against Gómez being “investigated” by Judge Peinado are completely false, just like those against Mónica Oltra and Antonio Costa were.
3.
Everyone knows that in two or three years he will publish his decision and it’ll be “I could find no evidence whatever of criminality”.
4.
Begoña Gómez will likely have to appear before Judge Peinado and be asked to respond to the accusations against her. She’s damned if she gives “no comment” replies and damned if she gives detailed answers. The former will see her accused of hiding her guilt, the latter of trying to wriggle out of it. She may also be called to testify before the Senate. A years-long judicial calvary probably awaits her.
5.
Let me repeat, everyone knows that the charges are false, brought by a far-right faction that has a long record of bringing vexatious charges against leftists and progressives.
6.
The judiciary in Spain has a long record of harassing leftist politicians but I think we can now safely say that it is out of control. It has had its sights set on bringing down the government at least since the amnesty bill was brought forward.
7.
If Sánchez resigns a government formed in strict adherence to the provisions of the Constitution and the law and only five months in office will have been brought down by the combined efforts of three-quarters of the media, the judiciary, and the opposition.
8.
If Sánchez resigns we’re in uncharted political territory the likeliest outcome of which is another summer general election. Without Sánchez’s skilled hand to balance the conflicting forces in the governing left coalition it’s very likely to produce a win for the PP and Vox. Interior Minister Santiago Abascal and Culture Minister Ignacio Garriga, here we come.
9.
If Sánchez doesn’t resign and instead calls and wins a confidence vote his authority will still have been seriously undermined by this episode. The opening of the “investigation” into his wife will have been a win for the judges, the opposition, and the media, they’ll smile and come back for another go. Judging by the events at its headquarters this morning his party is in a state of panic about the possibility of his departure.
10.
In Spain forming a government is a necessary but insufficient condition for the left to be in power. The country urgently needs but is unlikely to get a root and branch reform of the procedures for becoming a judge or public prosecutor.
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