The Provincial Court of Badajoz has sentenced David Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, the brother of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to nine years of disqualification from holding public office. The court found him guilty of administrative prevarication, a crime involving the illegal exercise of public duties, related to his 2017 appointment as a coordinator for conservatory activities at the Badajoz Provincial Council. The ruling, which was delivered by a unanimous panel of judges, concluded that the position was created and modified specifically to favor him, bypassing standard public recruitment requirements.
Alongside David Sánchez, the court sentenced Miguel Ángel Gallardo, the former president of the Badajoz Provincial Council, to an 18-year disqualification for his role in the hiring process. Ten other officials and staff members were also handed nine-year bans from public service. While the court confirmed the irregularities in the hiring process, it acquitted all defendants of the more serious charge of influence-peddling, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to prove that the appointment was made at the direct request of the Prime Minister's brother or due to his family ties.
The investigation, which began in May 2024 following a criminal complaint, centered on the creation of the music coordinator role and its later transformation into the Head of the Performing Arts Office. The court determined that the defendants simulated a legal recruitment process to justify the appointment. The verdict marks a significant legal development in a case that has drawn intense political scrutiny in Spain, as it involves a close relative of the head of government.
This sentence can be appealed before the High Court of Justice of Extremadura. As the legal process moves toward potential appeals, the focus remains on the implications of the court's findings regarding public hiring practices and institutional integrity. The case has sparked a broad debate about accountability within the Spanish administration, highlighting the tension between political appointments and the legal standards governing public employment.