Thousands of supporters and party members of Spain’s Socialist party rallied outside the party’s national headquarters in Madrid to show their support for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and urge him not to step down.

Sánchez stunned Spain on Wednesday when he announced that he was canceling his itinerary while he considers whether or not to resign after what he described as a “smear campaign” against his wife. He said he would reveal his future plans on Monday.

Sánchez’s shocking announcement came hours after a Spanish judge opened a preliminary investigation into allegation of corruption made against Sánchez’s wife by a group aligned with right-wing interests. The Spanish leader said the allegations were “spurious” and that they formed the worst attack in what he described as an orchestrated campaign to discredit him by targeting his family. The Madrid regional prosecutor’s office recommended the allegations to be thrown out.

In the midst of great expectation and with all options open, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will communicate this Monday his decision on his continuity, pressured by a wave of solidarity coming from socialist leaders and militants. This support comes at a time when Sánchez is finalizing his decision after a campaign of "harassment and demolition" by the opposition and media related to the right and extreme right, including attacks on his wife, Begoña Gómez.

The opening of judicial proceedings against Gómez, following a complaint for alleged crimes of influence peddling and corruption in business, was the trigger for Sánchez's reflection on his continuity in office.

No member of the Government or leader of the PSOE ventures to predict the outcome, although the option of resignation is perceived as a real possibility. Since Wednesday, Sánchez has maintained a low profile, although he has remained in contact with ministers, leaders of his party and international figures such as former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has offered him his support.

In Moncloa and Ferraz, headquarters of the PSOE, uncertainty reigns while the president's decision is guarded, since his resignation could trigger a series of scenarios, including a question of confidence, early elections or the investiture of another socialist leader.

Although speculation about Sánchez's political future is avoided, the possibility of him aspiring to a position in the European Union after the elections to the European Parliament is ruled out.

The President of the Government has reiterated that his decision is personal and is based on the need to evaluate whether it is worth continuing to face the attacks directed not only at him, but also at his wife, with whom he stated that he remains "deeply in love." ".

The PSOE has expressed strong support for Sánchez, turning a meeting scheduled for the approval of the candidacy for the European elections into an act of support for the socialist leader. Under the motto "Pedro, stay", thousands of militants came to Madrid from all over Spain to express their solidarity.

Sánchez's appearance this Monday at the Moncloa Palace will be key to clearing up uncertainties and marking the beginning of a new political stage in Spain.