Spain's chief prosecutor quits after leak verdict

Spain’s chief prosecutor announced his resignation on Monday, following a Supreme Court ruling last week that found him guilty of leaking confidential information in a case linked to the partner of a prominent opposition figure.

The rare decision deals a setback to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left-wing coalition government, which appointed Álvaro García Ortiz in 2022 and has consistently defended his innocence.

In a letter seen by Reuters, García Ortiz said he was stepping down before the court’s two-year ban from office took effect, citing “profound respect” for judicial decisions.

“Although my decision is a direct consequence of the ruling, I remain convinced that I have served this institution faithfully — with a clear commitment to public service, a sense of duty, and institutional loyalty,” he wrote to Justice Minister Félix Bolaños.

His resignation had been widely anticipated, even though the Supreme Court has not yet published its reasoning. García Ortiz still has the option to appeal to Spain’s Constitutional Court and, eventually, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

“We respect the court’s decision, but we disagree with it,” government spokesperson Pilar Alegría told state broadcaster TVE. She said the divided nature of the verdict and the fact it was announced before the full reasoning was released had created “stupefaction” among the public and set a troubling precedent.

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