Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has suspended public duties to “stop and reflect” on whether to remain in the job, after a court opened a preliminary inquiry into his wife.
In a statement, the Spanish leader said he urgently needed to decide “whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour”.
The court said it was responding to corruption claims against Begoña Gómez.
Mr Sánchez said he would make a decision on his future next Monday.
His wife would defend her honour and work with the judiciary, he said, to make clear there was no substance to the allegations against her.
The complaint against Begoña Gómez was raised by anti-corruption campaigners Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), who have taken part in a number of high-profile court cases in recent years and are led by a man linked to the far right called Miguel Bernad.
In a lengthy statement on X, Mr Sánchez complained of a “strategy of harassment” over months aimed at weakening him politically and personally targeting his wife.
The court did not give details of the accusations against Begoña Gómez other than to say it had begun investigating allegations of influence peddling and corruption on 16 April.
