Fernando G. Urbaneja | The appearance of Franco 15 days before a general election forms part of an electoral strategy, but there is no evidence that it will have the slightest influence on how people vote.Spaniards worry about the economy, employment, wages and public goods related to the welfare state. The Franco business is rabble-rousing, fireworks and distraction.
Spain´s unemployment rate fell to 13.92% in the third quarter, compared to the estimated 13.75% and 14.02% in the previous quarter. According to the Active Population Survey (EPA) published on Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INE), unemployment fell by 16,200 persons in the third quarter, 5% less than in the previous quarter, leaving a total of 3,214,400 unemployed.
Fernando G. Urbaneja | Throughout Thursday all the television stations will offer the spectacle of the journey of Franco´s coffin, buried 44 years ago underneath a marble grave stone weighing more than a thousand kilo in a family vault (although property of the state) to a public cemetery, el Pardo, 36km from the basilica of Cuelgamuros en El Escorial. For some this is an act of justice against the dictator, for others an unnecessary spectacle which oxygenates those few and irrelevant nostalgic for Francoism. Perhaps an opportunity for that peculiar sentiment of necrophilia which forms a peculiar part of human nature.
Fernando G. Urbaneja | The electoral campaign from which will emerge the new Parliament and, perhaps, a government remains wrapped in this week´s “Catalunya in flames” with unforeseeable consequences, above all among the 20% of undecided voters.
Joan Tapia | The downward revision of growth in Spain in the second quarter (from 0.5% to 0.4%), following that of the first quarter (from an optimistic 0.7% to 0.5%), and a slower rate of job creation, have disturbed forecasts and the economic climate.
The Catalan process has been one of the major causes of friction in contemporary Spanish history. After two years of judicial process, Spain´s Supreme Court has considered proven that during Autumn of 2017 there were “undoubted episodes of violence” in Catalonia, but does not think these sufficient to condemn the separatist leaders for rebellion, as sought by the Public Prosecutor.
Spain’s consumer price inflation hit the lowest in more than three years in September, according to data from the statistical office INE. The CPI edged up 0.1 percent year-on-year in September, following a 0.3 percent rise in August. This was the lowest rate since August 2016, when prices dropped 0.1 percent. The result, which coincides with some analysts’ forecast such as Funcas, is due to the fall in prices of energy products, especially gas and electricity.
Círculo de Empresarios | In August, Spain recorded the third largest economic slowdown among OECD countries, after Ireland and Slovenia. Between January and August, the arrival of international tourists to Spain increased by 1.5% year-on-year and tourism spending increased by 3.2% year-on-year.
Industrial Production in Spain rebounded strongly in August. Specifically, it advanced to + 1.7% a / avs. + 0.6% estimated and + 1.2% above (revised upwards from + 0.8%).
Nicolás García Rivas (The Conversation) | The separatist leaders currently in prison – or fleeing justice – are accused of rebellion, the most serious crime against the constitution. All because of the events which took place two years ago, following the adoption by the Catalan parliament of various laws of “disconnection” of Catalonia from Spain and its subsequent separation from our State.