Spain's Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, faced trial on Monday over allegations of leaking confidential information, in an unprecedented and politically charged case that casts a shadow over Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's left-wing administration.
This marks the first time in modern Spanish history that a top prosecutor has faced criminal proceedings.
The trial is one of several legal challenges that have implicated individuals close to Mr Sánchez.
Mr García Ortiz stands accused of leaking a confidential email to journalists, originating from a lawyer representing the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, Madrid's influential regional leader and a prominent opposition figure.
He has consistently denied the allegations, and Prime Minister Sánchez has publicly backed him on multiple occasions.
García Ortiz has been attorney general since 2022. The trial is scheduled to last 10 days.
The case is at the heart of tensions between Spain's left-wing national government and Madrid's conservative regional government.
Two former high-ranking officials in Sánchez’s Socialist Party as well as the prime minister’s wife and brother are facing separate corruption investigations. While Sánchez himself has not been named in any of the cases, they have at times threatened to bring down his government.
In reference to the probes into his wife's business dealings, Sánchez has said that some judges in the country were acting on ideological motives.
