The brother of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will go on trial in Badajoz from 9–14 February, the provincial court confirmed Friday, placing a politically sensitive corruption case just weeks after regional elections in Extremadura.
David Sánchez, a composer and orchestra conductor, is accused of influence peddling and administrative misconduct over his 2017 appointment to a senior cultural post in the Badajoz provincial government, then under Socialist control. Prosecutors allege the position was tailor-made for him and circumvented public hiring rules. He resigned in February and denies wrongdoing.
Ten others will stand trial alongside him, including Miguel Ángel Gallardo, head of the PSOE in Extremadura and the party’s lead candidate in the 21 December regional election. Polls suggest the Socialists could register their worst result in a traditional stronghold.
The case stems from complaints by groups linked to the political right, including Manos Limpias, which claims Sánchez was paid public funds without performing his duties. Prime Minister Sánchez has dismissed the accusations as politically driven, insisting both his brother and wife—himself facing a separate probe—are innocent.
