On June 1, 2018, shortly after the Congress of Deputies approved the motion of no confidence that made him the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez sought advice from advisers and veteran Socialists on what a president needs to do to get started. During those conversations on that first day, before even arriving at La Moncloa and changing the famous mattress, a question arose: What does Begoña Gómez do? Almost six years later, Pedro Sánchez is contemplating his resignation as a result of what he sees as a witch hunt against his wife, a figure without whom his political career and the Phoenix-like legend that has followed him since he faced all the powers of the PSOE in the fall of 2016 and defeated Susana Díaz in the tough primaries of May 2017.
Throughout his political and personal journey over these years, Sánchez’s narrative has been a constant “Begoña and I”. This can be seen in his books “Manual of Resistance” and “Firm Ground” as well as in numerous public and private conversations. His wife has been a part of all the decisions that have shaped his career, being there the first time Sánchez shut himself away, when a handful of loyal Socialists visited the couple’s home to convince him to fight for the leadership of the PSOE again. Sánchez himself recounted in his first book: “At that moment, there are two people whose opinions are crucial to me. The first is Begoña. She always told me that I should run and her support was huge because she was the one who supported the family during those months.”
Sánchez and Gómez have been a team from the beginning, both in private and in the public eye, with the public presence of the president’s wife being a source of controversy even before they arrived at La Moncloa. Many Socialists did not understand why a speaker would kick off a presentation of the PSOE’s lists with “Let’s welcome Begoña Gómez and the next President of the Government!”. During Sánchez’s first campaign in 2015, it raised eyebrows that she accompanied the candidate to debates or made statements to the media, and once in La Moncloa, some never accepted her acting as a sort of first lady (a role that does not exist in Spain). In the second term, with Unidas Podemos already in the Government, she reduced her presence in the institutional agenda and international trips, but Begoña Gómez was always there.
It was surprising for many that Sánchez declared himself in his letter to the public as a man “deeply in love”. This public affirmation of his marriage contrasts with the image of a cold-hearted man that he has cultivated by leaving behind those who were by his side in the toughest moments. Those who know him well claim that Begoña Gómez is his “Achilles heel” precisely because she is the only person who has been by his side throughout his political and personal journey. A minister from his inner circle confesses his complete uncertainty: “I have no idea what he is going to do. They have hit him where it hurts the most.”
Ultimately, what affects him the most is what happens closest to him, causing uncertainty and confusion among those who have worked closely with him. Begoña Gómez’s role in Sánchez’s political and personal life has been significant, and her presence has been a constant throughout his journey. This uncertainty about his next steps and the potential impact on his political future underscores the importance of their partnership.
