The brother of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez went on trial on Thursday, May 28th in a corruption-related case that has intensified political pressure on the country’s Socialist-led government. The case concerns allegations of preferential treatment in the creation and awarding of a public-sector job in the southwestern province of Badajoz.
David Sánchez—a composer and orchestra conductor who has worked in cities including Toulouse, Tokyo, and Madrid—is accused of benefiting from a specially created position as coordinator of music conservatories. Prosecutors allege that the role was tailored for him in 2016 and later restructured into head of the province’s performing arts office. He is one of 11 defendants facing charges of abuse of office and influence peddling, all of whom deny wrongdoing.
According to prosecutors, Sánchez did not meet the required qualifications for the position and allegedly failed to regularly attend work. They argue that the job was created within a provincial council governed by the Socialist Party at the time, before Pedro Sánchez became prime minister in 2018.
The trial began shortly after police searched the Madrid headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party in a separate investigation into alleged attempts to obstruct judicial proceedings linked to the party.
Defence lawyer Emilio Cortés called for the proceedings to be annulled, arguing that key elements of the prosecution were “a pure fabrication” and politically motivated. He also claimed that the alleged offence related to the appointment had exceeded the statute of limitations.
