Spain’s Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, has announced his resignation following a ruling by the Supreme Court that found him guilty of disclosing confidential information related to a case involving the partner of a prominent opposition figure.
The unprecedented case is seen as a significant blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left-wing government, which appointed García Ortiz in 2022 and had publicly defended him on multiple occasions.
In his resignation letter, obtained by Reuters, García Ortiz stated that stepping down before a two-year suspension took effect was a decision made “out of deep respect for judicial rulings.” He added that he remains confident he served the institution with dedication and integrity.
While his resignation had been widely anticipated, the Supreme Court has not yet published the full reasoning behind its decision. García Ortiz retains the right to appeal to Spain’s Constitutional Court, and if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
“We respect the court’s decision, but we do not agree with it,” said government spokesperson Pilar Alegría on public television TVE. She emphasized that the lack of unanimity and the release of the decision without full justification set a concerning precedent and have sparked public surprise.
