The Spanish judiciary is investigating the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for a number of alleged offences including corruption.
The Regional Court of the Autonomous Community of Madrid rejected an appeal by the public prosecutor's office against the opening of an investigation.
The court announced on Wednesday that an investigation was justified, confirming a ruling by a Madrid judge who had decided in mid-April to open an investigation against Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, on suspicion of influence peddling and corruption in business.
After the charges against his wife came to light, Sánchez denied the allegations, complained of political mud-slinging and threatened to resign from the office he has held since mid-2018.
He complained he was being harassed by the right and the far right by any means necessary. However, after a five-day period of reflection, during which he cancelled all public appointments, Sánchez decided to remain in office.
The complaint was filed in April by a private group called Manos Limpias, which translates as "clean hands." The organization accuses Sánchez's wife, who holds no public office, of abusing her position to obtain public contracts.
Manos Limpias has been campaigning for right-wing causes in Spain for several years. It admitted that its accusations against Gómez were based on media reports. Spain's public prosecutor's office and the police unit responsible for corruption offences have both found no evidence of illegal activity by Gómez in their investigations.