Spanish PM's brother banned from public office for nine years for misconduct

David Sánchez, brother of Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been banned from public office for nine years after a Spanish court convicted him of administrative misconduct. The ruling by the Badajoz Provincial Court pertains to his 2017 hiring as coordinator of music conservatories in the province. The court determined the position was "neither necessary nor urgent" and was created to serve private interests, harming democratic institutions. While David Sánchez was acquitted of influence peddling charges, the conviction highlights tensions between the judiciary and the government, which has accused conservative judges of political interference. The case stems from a complaint filed by Manos Limpias, a group with links to the far-right.