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wages

Spanish economy 25th May 2026

Eurostat: real wages rise only 6% in Spain over last 30 years

These are findings from Eurostat. While in neighboring countries real wages have risen by 27% (France) and 26% (Portugal), in Spain they have only grown by 6% over the last 30 years. This explains why, while the Spanish government boasts that Spain is the fastest-growing country in the Eurozone—driven by half a million immigrants per year, public debt growing at 4.7% annually, and NextGen funds that are not reaching businesses—Spaniards…

young spaniards

In Spain 22nd May 2026

Only 14.5% of Spanish under-30s can move out, a historic low

In this Spain of macroeconomic wonders—many of them the result of intensive window-dressing—everything changes when looking at the household economy: 85.5% of young people between the ages of 16 and 29 have not yet moved out of their parents’ homes. The figure, which represents a new historic record, is included in the 2025 Emancipation Observatory, compiled by the Spanish Youth Council (Consejo de la Juventud de España or CJE). In…

Government

In Spain 21st May 2026

First repercussions of Zapatero case: lawsuit filed against entire cabinet over Plus Ultra bailout

Last Tuesday, it was revealed that former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under formal investigation (imputación) by a National Court judge, who accuses him of four offenses, most notably “criminal organization” and “influence peddling.” Zapatero allegedly acted, among other roles, as the “fixer” (conseguidor) used by a minuscule airline with interests in Venezuela—Plus Ultra—to secure a €53 million bailout loan during COVID-19 from the Spanish State via…

3. Public debt

In Spain 20th May 2026

New record for Spanish public debt (€1.740 Trillion), growing 4.3% year-on-year (against 2.7% GDP growth)

Thus, only inflation (3.2%), which is crushing the purchasing power of Spaniards, is keeping the Public Debt-to-GDP ratio at bay (101.6%). Because in absolute terms, the public debt computed under the EU’s excessive deficit procedure has hit a new record: €1.740 trillion. According to the Bank of Spain (BdE), the debt of Spanish public administrations grew by 4.3% year-on-year in March—reaching that record figure of €1.740 trillion—representing an increase of…

José Luis R. Zapatero

In Spain, Relevant News Item 20th May 2026

National Court charges former Prime Minister Zapatero with four offences

The judge of the National Court (Audiencia Nacional), José Luis Calama, is not only investigating the €53 million public bailout granted to the airline Plus Ultra during the pandemic, but also an alleged business and financial structure that reportedly operated to influence political decisions, move suspicious funds, and channel payments through shell companies. The combined offenses attributed to the alleged network carry penalties of up to 22 years in prison,…

IMG 20260519 141642

In Spain 19th May 2026

Synthetic securitisations now account for half of total in Spanish banking sector

Synthetic securitisations – which allow underlying assets to remain on the balance sheet and enable banks to expand their balance sheets without increasing capital – now account for 3% of Spanish banks’ total assets. By the Consejeros Editorial Team The weight of synthetic securitisations on Spanish banks’ balance sheets continues to rise and now accounts for 49% of total securitisations. Just five years ago, in the 2020 financial year, they…

Shakira

In Spain 19th May 2026

Spanish Tax Agency to return more than €60 Million to Shakira

The National Court (Audiencia Nacional) has concluded that the Tax Agency failed to prove the singer was a tax resident in Spain in 2011, and has ordered the refund of the paid amount, fines, and late-payment interest. The Spanish Tax Agency—increasingly under scrutiny—has already announced that it will ask the State Attorney’s Office (Abogacía del Estado) to appeal the ruling. “After more than eight years of enduring brutal public targeting,…

Juanma Moreno (PP Andalucía)

In Spain, Spanish economy 18th May 2026

PP win 53 seats, almost doubling PSOE’s 28, in Andalusian elections

Yesterday, 64.8% of the 6.8 million Andalusians called to the polls cast their votes, and the victory of the People’s Party (Partido Popular) was incontestable. Securing 1.7 million votes (41.6%) and 53 seats, it ensures that Juanma Moreno, the leader of the Andalusian PP, will remain in the San Telmo Palace for another 4 years. However, their indisputable victory carries a bittersweet undertone, as they dropped 5 seats, meaning they…

inflation board

In Spain 14th May 2026

With April inflation at 3.2%, “wages in Spain are only enough for survival,” explains USO union

The April CPI continues to reflect the effects of the war in Iran, with a 3.2 increase. Transport is the epicenter of these rises, driven by the impact of fuel prices, which saw an increase of 6.5. Household utilities, rising by 1.9, helped moderate the overall spike alongside tourist packages. Consumers in Madrid are suffering particularly hard, with inflation nearing 4%, followed by the regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla…

CarlosCuerpo

In Spain 13th May 2026

Brussels confirms Spain used €10.2 billion of ‘Next Generation’ funds for current expenditure

The European Commission has confirmed that Spain utilized €10.2 billion from the Next Generation funds exclusively for current expenditure during the first five years of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. Records from the community statistics office indicate that the current expenditure used by Spain was €519 million in 2021, €1.767 billion in 2022, €2.777 billion in 2023, €2.900 million in 2024, and €2.257 billion in 2025. According to Brussels’…