Articles by Fernando Gonzalez Urbaneja

About the Author

Fernando Gonzalez Urbaneja
Over 30 years working in economic journalism. Fernando was founder and chief-editor at El País, general editor at the business daily Cinco Días, and now teaches at Universidad Carlos III. He's been president of the Madrid Press Association and the Spanish Federation of Press Associations. He's also member of the Spanish press complaints commission.
wholeshale electricity market

The Price Of Electricity And Alternative Realities

Fernando González Urbaneja | The Sánchez government hopes to have avoided the electoral cost of the electricity price hike, as it is confident it has conveyed to public opinion that the final bill to the citizen has not increased. The daily bombardment over several months with the spectacular rise in wholesale prices (which the vast majority do not understand how it affects them) was countered with the commitment from the…


Pedro mascarilla españita

Spanish Economy 2021: No Grade Given (Come Back In September)

Fernando González Urbaneja | If we listen to the account from the government, the Prime Minister and his vice-presidents, the Spanish economic performance for the year just ended deserves an “A” grade. In spite of the difficulties, the external enemies, the irresponsible opposition, the uncontrolled gas, the unapologetic pandemic, the unforeseen Filomena… the Spanish economy has recovered, with resilience, with feminism, with sustainability, with environmentalism… And two objective data serve…


sanchez euco

Government Optimism Against The World

Fernando González Urbaneja | A few weeks ago the European Commission’s forecasts on the performance of the member states’ economies were a cold shower for the Spanish government’s optimism. It preaches that the economy is doing better than well, that the future is one of more than recovery and that Spain is amongst the best in the class. The government bases its arguments on two facts: employment is going well,…


Cadiz

“Setting On Fire” As A Political Practice

Fernando González Urbaneja | The mayor of Cádiz has taken the lead in the incendiary protests his city is suffering with a striking statement: “We have had to set fire to Cádiz so that Madrid will take notice of us”. “Setting on fire” as a political practice is nothing new; there were times when it was common, with disastrous results. Here is a mayor with democratic legitimacy and with the…


Garanti BBVA

BBVA: Turkey Is Better Than The US Or Spain

Fernando González Urbaneja | Turkey consolidates BBVA’s internationalisation as the third leg of a bank based on Mexican, Spanish and Turkish business. Three different markets, three currencies, three economic areas. Diversification with risks, perceived as an opportunity. The Turkish bet is not new. It dates back to 2011 when the bank led by Francisco González surprised the market with the purchase of an almost majority stake in Garanti (49%), one…


USA reflation

US Inflation Stays Put

Fernando González Urbaneja | The thesis defended by the US Treasury and the Fed that the upturn in inflation this year will be temporary is losing momentum by the week. The latest data for October brings the year-on-year rate to 6.2%, a figure that has not been seen for the last thirty years. What is more worrying is that core inflation, excluding energy and unprocessed foods, is above 5%. It…



Elorza

Odón’s Conscience

Fernando González Urbaneja | Odón Elorza, socialist deputy and professional politician (councillor at the age of 24 and later mayor and deputy) gave his opinion on the unsuitability of one of the candidates for the Constitutional Court before the congressional appointments committee. An opinion that is quite widespread in public opinion; for example, in almost all national newspapers. What Mr Elorza maintains is well-founded, he says what he thinks and,…


Socialagreement

Repeal, Reform, Renew… Empty Words

Fernando González Urbaneja | The government has agreed on the labour counter-reform Is this news? The news was the absence of agreement, i.e. the renunciation of the agreement that made the coalition possible. The fact that the agreement is still in force is nothing new, even if a liturgy of tension is staged between the vice-presidents, resolved by the decisive decision of the boss, the resistant one. Apart from the…


SpainConstitucionalCourt

Renewal Of The Constitutional Court: If The Deputies Voted In All Conscience…

Fernando González Urbaneja | The Congress will have a hearing for the 4 jurists chosen by Pedro Sánchez and Félix Bolaños (PSOE) and Pablo Casado and Teodoro García Egea (PP), managers of the two majority – necessary – parties to fill the vacant posts in the Constitutional Court. And then the MPs will vote in a disciplined manner so that the proposal gets the green light with a qualified majority…