Spanish court bans president's brother for nine years over administrative misconduct
A court in Extremadura convicted David Sánchez of involvement in the creation of a tailored public post in Badajoz, though it acquitted him of the charge of abuse of influence.
Spanish court bans president's brother for nine years over administrative misconduct
A tribunal in the Spanish region of Extremadura has prohibited David Sánchez, brother of government president Pedro Sánchez, from holding public office for nine years. The ruling, handed down on Tuesday, finds him guilty of committing an administrative breach by collaborating in the creation of a public position designed specifically for him, according to Courthouse News.
The judges acquitted him of the more serious charge of abuse of influence, an offence that could have resulted in a prison sentence. Nevertheless, the ruling establishes that the defendant acted as an accomplice in the illegal establishment of the post and imposes a ban from office along with suspension of his active voting rights.
The position in question—coordinator of music conservatories in Badajoz province—was described by the tribunal as neither "necessary nor urgent". According to the ruling, the vacancy was devised "to serve the private interest of its beneficiary and not the general interest". Subsequently, that role was transformed into the directorship of the performing arts office in the same province in south-western Spain.
David Sánchez, a composer and orchestra conductor with professional training and experience in cities such as St Petersburg, Toulouse, Tokyo and Madrid, remained in the post from its creation in 2016—two years before his brother assumed the presidency—until at least early 2025. The position fell under the provincial council of Badajoz, which was then governed by the Socialist Party to which Pedro Sánchez belongs.
The proceedings were held together with ten other defendants. The complaint was brought by Manos Limpias, an association that describes itself as anti-corruption and which maintains links with the far right.
In its ruling, the tribunal stressed that "such unethical practices damage democratic institutions and encourage corruption and unequal opportunities".
From the executive, government spokeswoman Elma Saiz expressed confidence that "higher courts will confirm David Sánchez's innocence, which is what we believe". For his part, Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the case as part of a broader strategy to bring down the government "out of inability to do so at the ballot box".
This conviction adds to a series of investigations into alleged corruption affecting people close to the socialist leader and which have generated uncertainty about the stability of his minority left-wing coalition government. Last month, his former chief aide José Luis Ábalos was sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption offences. Furthermore, Pedro Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, is being investigated for alleged abuse of influence, as is former socialist president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, an ally of the current head of government, in a case relating to alleged illegal commissions.
Source: Courthouse News Service