Sánchez's daughter studies at an elite private university in Spain

Sánchez's youngest daughter studies at an elite private university for €12,900 a year

Pedro Sánchez has once again hit where it hurts his electorate most: his children's education. But the data adds nuance to the controversy: Carlota Sánchez Gómez, 18, has been studying a double degree in Business Administration and Marketing, taught in English, at a private university in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, since September. The annual cost: €12,900. The irony is hard to miss: just a few months earlier, in March, the Prime Minister launched a campaign against private universities, calling them "educational shams".

The price of consistency
The eldest daughter, Ainhoa, already studies at a private institution in England, as was revealed a year ago. The mother, Begoña Gómez, also studied at the same institution —ESIC— which, according to some analyses, may not hold official degree accreditation. The Sánchez Gómez family has thus built up a record in private education that clashes head-on with the Prime Minister's public discourse.

The ongoing debate
While some see yet another example of the political class's hypocrisy, others defend the family's right to privacy. What is certain is that the €12,900 annual cost is out of reach for most Spanish households, which sustain with their taxes the public system Sánchez defends at his rallies.

The controversy will grow once details about his eldest daughter's degree become known. But the underlying issue —the ruling class's access to the private education it criticizes— will remain open. Meanwhile, the campaign against the "shams" is, at the very least, called into question.