Spanish judge blocks PM's wife from NATO summit trip, permits UK graduation

A Spanish judge denied Begoña Gómez, the spouse of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, permission to travel to the NATO summit in Ankara, citing the event’s institutional nature, the risk of flight and the ongoing passport suspension. The same ruling allowed her to fly to London to attend her daughter’s graduation, reasoning that family rights and the existing judicial cooperation with the United Kingdom justified an exception.

The decision has sparked a partisan debate over the use of the courts for political purposes, referred to by the left as “law‑fare.” A recent poll reported that three‑quarters of Spaniards believe law‑fare exists and warn it erodes trust in the justice system. Government ministers called for reflection on the judiciary’s image, while opposition parties deny any political manipulation.

The case highlights tensions between legal safeguards and personal freedoms for public figures, and it adds to broader concerns about judicial independence and public confidence in Spain’s institutions.