How the popular jury will decide the case against Begoña Gómez

Begoña Gómez is set to be tried before a popular jury for alleged influence-peddling and misappropriation of public funds, accused of exploiting her status as the president of the Government’s spouse. To serve on such a jury, citizens must be Spanish, of voting age, literate, and enjoy full civil and political rights, after which they enter a lottery that draws from a two-year candidate pool of 36 individuals per province.

The defence and prosecution may interview candidates and request recusals, ultimately selecting nine primary jurors and two substitutes. The jury’s role is limited to assessing evidence, hearing witnesses, and determining which alleged facts are proven; it does not issue the sentence. In Gómez’s case, a guilty verdict requires at least seven affirmative votes, while five votes for acquittal suffice for a not-guilty finding. If neither threshold is met, the jurors must deliberate again, and persistent deadlock could lead to the jury’s dissolution and a new trial.