Spanish Court Bans Prime Minister's Brother from Public Office for Nine Years

A Spanish court has sentenced David Sánchez, the brother of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to nine years of ineligibility for public office after finding him guilty of administrative prevarication.

Key points

• The court ruled that a position created in 2016 for David Sánchez at the Badajoz Provincial Council was neither necessary nor urgent.
• David Sánchez was acquitted of separate charges of influence peddling, which could have carried a prison sentence.
• The ruling also imposed a nine-year ban on voting for the defendant.
• Ten other individuals involved in the hiring process were also convicted by the court.

Why it matters

This is the first time a direct relative of a Spanish Prime Minister has been convicted of a crime, intensifying political pressure on the government.