Spain's First Lady Begoña Gómez Sent to Jury Trial

A Madrid provincial court ordered that Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will be tried before a popular jury of nine citizens. The court upheld the charges of influence peddling and public fund misappropriation, while dismissing allegations of corruption in business and unlawful appropriation. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado instructed the prosecution, defence, the public prosecutor and the University of Complutense to file revised written submissions within five days. The court also lifted the travel ban and passport seizure previously imposed on Gómez. Businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés was removed from the jury trial, but a separate investigation into his alleged benefits from public contracts will continue. The hearing is scheduled to proceed before Spain’s upcoming general election, intensifying political debate over the use of popular juries in high‑profile corruption cases.