Thousands of Socialist Party supporters traveled from across Spain to rally in Madrid on Saturday to demand Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to remain in power following his surprise announcement this week that he may be stepping down as prime minister.

Sanchez said on Wednesday he would retire “for a few days” to decide whether he wants to continue leading the government as a Madrid court opened a preliminary investigation into his wife’s business affairs Begonia Gometh.

Sanchez said the move was part of a smear campaign against him and his family by political opponents.

The Spanish prime minister denies the allegations against his wife and said he would announce a decision on his future on Monday.

“Prime Minister stay, Pedro stay. We are with you”, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Maria Jesus Montero at a meeting of the Socialist Party’s federal committee at its headquarters in Madrid.

Outside the offices, party supporters, many waving flags or wearing face paint, played popular pop songs and chanted slogans in favor of Sanchez staying in power.

About 12,500 supporters participated in the rally, according to the Spanish government.

Opposition parties have condemned Sanchez’s move.

“I ask all citizens not to be fooled. Spain does not have a problem, the one who has a problem with justice is Sanchez, his government, his party and his circle. Let them solve it,” said its leader of the opposition conservative People’s Party, Alberto Nunez Feijo, at a meeting in Tarragona, Catalonia.

On Thursday, the Madrid prosecutor’s office announced that requested that the case be dismissed for corruption against the wife of the Spanish prime minister and said he would appeal the decision taken by a Madrid court to examine a private complaint filed by an anti-corruption group against Begonia Gomet for undue influence and business corruption.

For its part, the group in question, Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), stated that it based its lawsuit on media information and that it cannot vouch for its validity. Sanchez came to power in 2018.