Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has confirmed his intention to remain in office, ending five days of uncertainty surrounding his leadership.

Last week, Mr Sánchez suspended all official engagements after a court initiated a preliminary investigation into his wife over corruption allegations. He denounced the accusations as a smear campaign orchestrated by conservative media outlets.

Having held the position of Prime Minister since 2018, Mr Sánchez’s decision to take a hiatus to contemplate his future caught many within his own Socialist Party (PSOE) off guard.

The allegations against Mr Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, were filed by the organization Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), led by Miguel Bernad, who has ties to the far-right.

On Thursday, the public prosecutor in Madrid recommended closing the investigation due to a lack of evidence. Manos Limpias also admitted that the allegations might be unfounded, as they were based on online news articles, one of which has already been debunked.