Spanish PM hits out at rivals after wife summoned over

Pedro Sánchez questions timing of court order before European elections and accuses opponents of orchestrating smear campaign

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Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has accused his political opponents of trying to undermine his government and influence the outcome of this weekend’s European elections after a judge investigating corruption allegations against his wife summoned her to testify five days before polls open.

Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, is being investigation for alleged corruption and influence-peddling after a complaint by the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), a self-styled trade union with far-right links that has a long history of using the courts to pursue political targets.