Spain Today - Last Spanish News

🇪🇸 Here is today's main news summary from Spain Today:Constitutional Court Paves Way for Amnesty Application to EmbezzlementSpain's Constitutional Court progressive majority has rejected a conservative draft ruling on ex-cabinet member Jordi Turull's appeal. The decision establishes that the amnesty law should apply to embezzlement charges arising from the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. A revised ruling aligning with the majority will be presented at the next plenary session on 6 October. This resolution clears the legal path for former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to return to Spain and would lift Esquerra Republicana leader Oriol Junqueras's ban on holding public office.Health Ministry Demand...

🇪🇸 Here is the news summary from Spain Today:1. Trial Opened Against Begoña GmezMadrid judge Juan Carlos Peinado has opened an oral trial against Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and her adviser Cristina lvarez for alleged influence peddling and embezzlement. A popular jury of eleven citizens in the Madrid Provincial Court is expected, likely not until late 2027. The case centers on Gómez's master's programs at Complutense University, alleged influence peddling favoring the Barrabs group, and software misappropriation. Hazte Oír seeks 13 years for Gómez; the prosecution service and defense seek acquittal. The governmen...

🇪🇸 Here is the news summary from Spain Today:

1. Judicial Setbacks for Catalan Amnesty

Spain's Supreme Court has rejected applying the amnesty law to former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and ex-minister Antoni Comín for embezzlement, keeping national arrest warrants active. Judge Pablo Llarena determined that while a European Court of Justice (TJUE) ruling dismissed impacts on EU financial interests, the exclusion based on personal financial benefit remains applicable. Concurrently, the Court of Auditors rejected appeals to absolve financial liability for referendum expenses. At the Constitutional Court, a draft ruling by magistrate José María Ma...

🇪🇸 Ceuta's beaches are still crowded after Spain moved 1,700 migrants into a temporary port camp. Prosecutors are opening protection cases after underage girls allege abuse in Ceuta centres. Five years after La Palma's Tajogaite eruption, reconstruction sits near 60% while modular homes remain occupied and prices soar. And a 6.3 million euro Madrid penthouse tied to the Ayuso case goes to auction with no buyer — a judge asks who has jurisdiction.

🇪🇸 Severe storms and flooding hit Spain’s Mediterranean coast with orange alerts across Valencia, Barcelona, Murcia and the Balearic Islands. In Olivella near Barcelona, firefighters recovered a man after his car was swept by a flooded stream. ES-Alert messages urged people to stay clear of ravines and move upstairs if water rises. Airports, metro and rail were disrupted; schools closed in parts of Murcia.Congress passed a major dependency and disability reform: faster recognition, telecare as a universal right, more home care, and friends or neighbours recognised as caregivers with support. Waiting lists have been deadly — the government wants them halve...

🇪🇸 Spain's Data Protection Agency reported the first personal data breach executed directly by an AI agent: using a large language model, it searched for vulnerabilities, logged in, altered personal records, and accessed invoices. The agency says AI agents change the threat model by planning tasks, running code, and adapting at machine speed.Telecom operators have begun mandatory blocking of commercial SMS, MMS, and RCS messages that lack a registered alphanumeric alias in the CNMC database, under the government's Anti-Fraud Plan after hundreds of thousands of digital fraud complaints.August inflation rose to 4.3%, the highest in over three years, driven by fue...

🇪🇸 Ceuta Border Crisis & Unified Command Extension

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the special unified command in Ceuta will remain active until "the end of the year" to stabilise the autonomous city following the entry of over 70,000 migrants in late July. The Spanish government is preparing up to 10,000 migrant places, with over 6,000 operational by the end of the week, as around 200 people return daily to Morocco. Sánchez attributed the migration surge to fake news and human-trafficking networks while defending ongoing diplomatic relations with Morocco. However, Ceuta’s regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, warned that the city re...

🇪🇸 Ceuta Border Crisis and Relocation Operations

More than 5,300 migrants have voluntarily returned to Morocco since 10 August 2026, following the border entry of nearly 80,000 people in late July, while around 100 individuals have renounced asylum requests. National police successfully relocated 864 migrants from the Loma Colmenar area to temporary tent facilities at Los Rosales without incident. Government officials have established around 4,300 temporary places to conduct identification triage and process returns. Meanwhile, Ceuta's Vice President, Alejandro Ramírez, described the city as a "pressure cooker," estimating that 13,000 migrants remain in Ceuta and urgently requesting the clearance of an informal settlement near the city's...

🇪🇸 Spain Today’s key stories:1. Amnesty Law Draft at the Constitutional CourtConservative magistrate José María Macías drafted an opinion supporting the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant amnesty to Catalan independence leaders including Jordi Turull, citing embezzlement. He argues that the court’s interpretation of personal financial benefit—saving personal funds through public expenditure—is grounded in law. The draft goes to a 22 September vote and is expected to be rejected, restarting the process and affecting Carles Puigdemont’s legal outlook.2. Overseas Voting Rights DisputeProgressive legal associations criticized the Supreme Court’s interim freeze on voting rights for more than 408,000 p...

🇪🇸 Congress Approves Saharawi Nationality Bill

The Spanish Congress approved a bill allowing Saharawis born under Spanish administration before 29 September 1977 and their first-degree descendants to obtain Spanish nationality by naturalisation. Up to 120,000 people could benefit, with a five-year application window and a reduced residency requirement of two years.

School Bullying Repunts as AI Misuse Spikes

Bullying rose to 14.1% of Spanish students in 2025–2026. AI appeared in 23.5% of cyberbullying cases, including fake videos, audio manipulation, and identity theft; girls represented 60.3% of victims.

Youth Suicide Attempts Multiply Ninefold

Although suicide deaths have fallen 3.7% since 20...

🇪🇸 Resignation of Chief of Staff in Ceuta Following CNI Leak

The Chief of Staff for the Government Delegation in Ceuta, Gonzalo Sanz, has resigned following controversy over a National Intelligence Centre (CNI) alert. Sanz maintained that he immediately passed on a CNI warning received via WhatsApp on 29 July 2026 regarding social media groups with 180,000 participants planning a mass border crossing into the autonomous city. However, the Government Delegate asserted he was not informed prior to 30 July. The resignation occurred two days after the declassification of 40 CNI reports detailing communications with local authorities. Opposition parties have called for the resign...

🇪🇸 Spain Today — Daily National News BriefingOpening of the 2026/27 Judicial YearCeuta Crisis Friction: Spain’s judicial year opens under high political tension following the irregular crossing of roughly 70,000 migrants into Ceuta in late July. A rift has opened between the Interior Ministry and the General Council of the Judiciary over Judge María Tardón’s investigation into potential territorial integrity and organized crime offenses.New Attorney General: Teresa Peramato delivers her maiden opening address as Attorney General, taking over following the conviction of former fiscal general Álvaro García Ortiz.Major Judicial Cases: Former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero face...

Supreme Court Suspends Voting Rights Under 'Grandchildren Law'Spain's Supreme Court has temporarily frozen electoral register (CERA) enrollment for foreign-born individuals who acquired Spanish nationality through the Democratic Memory Law ("grandchildren law") based on a government directive that presumed exile status for anyone leaving between 1936 and 1955. Applicants must now explicitly prove they are direct descendants of individuals exiled due to political, ideological, or sexual orientation grounds. Around 2.4 million descendants have applied under the law, with over 306,000 already registered to vote abroad. The ruling was welcomed by opposition parties PP and Vox, while the government, State Attorney, and Public Prosecutor opposed the...

Spain Today News Summary: 8 September 2026The government has launched the Casa 47 public-rental portal with 800 homes, plus 1,500 more planned. Rents are intended to remain below 30% of tenants’ income. Contracts will span 14 years, with options to extend up to 75 years, as the housing law is defended as necessary intervention in an unregulated market.The National Court is investigating the mass border entry in Ceuta in late July as a serious attack on territorial integrity, reckless homicide and organised crime. Investigators are examining whether it was coordinated hybrid warfare involving migrants, promoters, organisers, planners and directors. Ceuta’s president says the city is a...

The Rise of Self-Construction in SpainAn increasing number of Spaniards are looking at alternative ways to secure a home. A recent study found that 42% have considered building their own home, while 8.5% view it as a concrete project. This interest rises to 48% among young adults aged 25 to 34 and people living in rural areas or towns. The main drivers are custom design, cost savings and energy efficiency.However, 66% of Spaniards admit knowing little or nothing about self-construction. Industry professionals warn that building has become harder and more expensive, with costs rising by 60% to 70% since the pandemic and the war in Ukraine...

Spain Today: Latest News Summary

The Diplomatic and Border Crisis Over Ceuta The Spanish government has extended border controls on travelers arriving from Italy by air and sea for another 15 days, lasting from 8 to 22 September 2026. This move is a reciprocal response to Italy's decision to suspend the Schengen free-movement agreement for travelers from Spain. Tensions escalated after Italy initially suspended free movement on 31 July following the mass entry of around 80,000 migrants into Ceuta. In a radio interview, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized Italy's border controls as meaningless and called for greater solidarity among E...

Here is the daily news roundup from Spain Today:

1. Regional Financing Reform Passes First Hurdle Amid Intense Political Division

The Ministry of Finance has approved its draft reform of the regional financing system during a highly charged meeting of the Council for Fiscal and Policy Financial Policy. The new model proposes injecting an additional €20.975 billion into Spain's autonomous communities. Under this plan, regions would see their share of personal income tax (IRPF) rise from 50% to 55% and VAT increase from 50% to 56.5%. It also introduces a compensatory fund for regions dealing wi...

Tragedy Adrift: Over 80 Feared Dead on Migrant Boat

A devastating humanitarian crisis has unfolded south of the Canary Islands. A precariously built boat (cayuco) was found drifting 65 miles southwest of Gran Canaria after spending 26 days at sea. The vessel departed from Gambia on 7 August carrying 128 people, including four women and a baby. Only 44 survivors, all male Sub-Saharan migrants, were rescued by the Guardamar Urania. Due to extreme weather—with 20-knot winds and 2.5-metre waves—rescuers could not retrieve five deceased bodies on board. Six survivors required hospitalisation, including three airlifted in critical condition. Based on survivor testimonies, over...

Spain Today News presents a summary of the social, political and economic developments currently unfolding across the nation:

The Political and Social Crisis in Ceuta

On 2 September, Ceuta Day was marked by unprecedented, massive protests. Approximately 20,000 residents in Ceuta marched under the banner "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta defends itself!", demanding immediate border reinforcement and the return of those who entered irregularly during the late-July crisis. Over 70,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave in late July, and between 5,000 and 10,000 remain in the city, causing significant strain on local infrastructure and community...

Spain Today brings you the key national developments as September begins, marked by major legislative steps, diplomatic friction, and local disputes.

Healthcare Reform Sparks Strike Threat

The Spanish Government has approved the parliamentary processing of the new Estatuto Marco for healthcare staff, despite strong opposition from medical unions and several autonomous regions. This represents the first major reform of its kind in 23 years, seeking to limit medical shifts from 24 hours to a maximum of 17 hours and reduce the maximum weekly work hours to 45. While nursing collectives support the change because it formally...

Spain has experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, with average temperatures reaching 26 ºC, which is 2.5 ºC above the historical average. The extreme season saw four distinct heatwaves and a relentless run of suffocating nights where temperatures did not drop below 20 ºC anywhere in the country. This prolonged heat had a severe human cost, resulting in 5,091 heat-attributable deaths, the highest number since records began and more than double the average of the previous decade.

In political developments, border controls between Spain and Italy have been extended for another 15 days. Rome initially reinstated these checks on...

Spain Today has investigated the hidden financial networks of organised crime. Our team tracked hawala, an ancient, informal money transfer system that bypasses conventional banking to move billions of euros annually across borders. While millions of people rely on hawala to send vital, low-cost remittances to families in crisis zones—such as Gaza, where banks are non-existent—it has become a critical "crime-as-a-service" backbone for money laundering, tax evasion, and terrorism. Key cases include a massive European network named "The Merchants of Great Europe," which traded hundreds of millions of euros, and police operations against networks funding Daesh or usin...

Spain Today reports on the following key developments:Political Clash and Tensions Over the Ceuta Migrant CrisisFollowing the arrival of thousands of migrants in Ceuta on 30 and 31 July, political friction has intensified. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Popular Party (PP), has demanded that the director of the National Intelligence Centre (CNI), Esperanza Casteleiro, appear in the Senate to clarify what the Government knew about the crisis. The PP also plans to enter the judicial cause opened in the Audiencia Nacional to investigate the crisis. Feijóo accused the Government of abandoning Ceuta and leaving military personnel over...

Here is today's roundup of the key stories from Spain Today:Ceuta Border Crisis & Sovereign DefenseSpain's Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, has firmly defended the Spanish and European sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla. Speaking in Congress, he attributed the recent migration crisis in Ceuta to disinformation and hoaxes regarding a Supreme Court ruling on migrant returns, which were spread by traffickers and individual actors in Africa. Albares emphasized daily diplomatic coordination with Morocco, which enabled the return of 90% of irregular crossers within 48 hours and blocked a planned mass crossing on 15 August. Despite this, opposition parties heavily criticized the government; t...

Here is today's roundup of the key stories from Spain Today:Ceuta Migration Crisis: Political Disputes and Escalating UnrestPolitical tensions have flared as ministers Felix Bolaños and Ángel Víctor Torres defended the government's handling of the July 30–31 migration crisis, during which 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta. Appearing before a parliamentary commission, Bolaños denied having "prior or precise" warnings about the sheer scale of the crossings, contradicting earlier claims by the Defence Minister. He dismissed allegations of Moroccan involvement, noting instead that bilateral diplomacy enabled the return of 90% of those who entered. Meanwhile, Torres projected a timeline of up to...

Spain's new political term is opening under severe strain, dominated by a massive migrant crisis in Ceuta and escalating political and judicial battles, even as the country celebrates its world-famous Tomatina festival.

The Ceuta Migrant Crisis and Political Collision

On 30 and 31 July 2026, over 70,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, triggering an unprecedented humanitarian and security emergency. Currently, around 5,000 migrants remain in the city, including at least 1,500 identified unaccompanied minors under the care of local protection services, with many more still unregistered on the streets.

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Here is your daily news digest from Spain Today for Wednesday, 26 August 2026:New Registry Approved to Regulate LobbyistsThe Spanish Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree-law to establish a public, electronic, and mandatory registry for interest groups to monitor lobbying within state administration. Managed by the Council for Transparency and Good Governance, the body will supervise activities and impose sanctions. This executive action comes after a specific draft law became blocked in Congress; the decree-law must now be ratified by the Lower House within 30 days.The regulation targets individuals, businesses, NGOs, and platforms attempting to influence public decisions...

Following the major migration crisis in Ceuta on 30–31 July 2026, where between 70,000 and 80,000 migrants entered the Spanish autonomous city, the Spanish Government has taken significant legal, security, and diplomatic measures:

**Legal Reforms and Border Procedures**

The Council of Ministers approved a draft bill for a new Asylum Law and a reform of the Foreigners Law (*Ley de Extranjería*) to align Spanish law with the European Pact on Migration and Asylum.

* **Asylum Law**: Streamlines applications with an **"accelerated" procedure** (to be resolved in a maximum of 3 months) and a **"border" procedure** (max...

International Crisis in the Strait of Hormuz

Spain Today News - 18th November 2025

Alberto Núñez Feijóo presented proposals focused on combating the "precariedad vital" (vital precarity) and "precariedad emocional" (emotional precarity) affecting young people. To address the housing crisis, where prices have more than doubled salaries in seven years, he proposes a massive construction plan to build hundreds of thousands of homes annually, noting that 650,000 were built yearly in 2006-2008. Housing measures include recovering the "cuenta ahorro vivienda" (housing savings account) with an IRPF deduction, and suggesting a reduction in housing VAT from 10% to 4% for those under 35, deferred over 15 to 20 years. He als...

The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture ordered the confinement of all outdoor poultry farms starting Thursday to prevent avian flu, citing the notable increase in outbreaks across Central and Northern Europe and the risk posed by migratory birds heading toward Spain.France authorized the extradition of former ETA leaders Juan Antonio Olarra Guridi, Ainhoa Múgica Goñi, and Javier García Gaztelu, 'Txapote,' to Spain. They will be tried for the 2001 murder of Army Lieutenant Colonel Pedro Antonio Blanco. Txapote also faces judgment for a 1996 car bomb attack in San Sebastián.The sources also detail "early exhumations" (begi...

EU Migration Pact and Spain's Pressure

The European Commission has included Spain among four EU countries identified as being under greater migratory pressure. Spain, alongside Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, is noted for a "disproportionate" number of irregular arrivals, particularly through search and rescue operations at sea. This classification makes them "eligible" to appeal for solidarity from other partners and activate the mechanism planned in the new Pact of Migration and Asylum.The solidarity mechanism, slated to take effect in June 2026, aims to transfer at least 30,000 migrants each year. Member States can choose to decline receiving re-located migrants...

Welcome to Spain Today News - 28 October 2025

Gender Violence Investigation in Murcia

The Guardia Civil is investigating the death of a 19-year-old woman in Librilla, Murcia, as a possible case of gender violence. The victim’s lifeless body was found in a home that she shared with her partner, who has since been detained. The suspect reportedly had no prior history of abuse. The victim was not registered in the VioGen system. If confirmed as a machista crime, she would be the 34th victim of gender violence in 2025 and the 1,328th since 2003. The Delegate of th...

Welcome to Spain Today News - 27 October 2025

The sources detail major events across financial markets, Spanish politics, legal affairs, and environmental disaster aftermath.

The Ibex 35 reached a historic peak, hitting 15,957.6 points at mid-session, nearly touching 16,000. This milestone surpassed the maximum level achieved in November 2007, nearly 18 years prior. Year-to-date gains for the Spanish selective index stand at 37.62%. Major stock gainers included Indra, Mapfre, Santander, and BBVA. This market movement occurred during a week marked by central bank meetings and corporate results. Global tensions were easing as the United States and China reached a consensus on trade...

Montoro Investigation: An investigation is ongoing into former Minister of Finance, Cristóbal Montoro, and his firm Equipo Económico, which is accused of a "pay-to-play" scheme to influence legislation for clients. An email from December 2013, discussing "paying this economic team that has direct contact with the Minister of Finance, Cristóbal Montoro" to influence the Congress of Deputies for tax benefits, is the origin of the probe. The judge suggests this practice "could have been habitual and known". Equipo Económico allegedly had a "great capacity" to connect companies with the Ministry of Finance and influence the drafting of l...

I. Widespread Power Outage and Investigation

A. Incident Description:

1. Government Coalition Dynamics and Policy Disagreements

Spanish government's recent agreement with Junts per Catalunya regarding the distribution of unaccompanied migrant minors, the broader political reactions to this agreement, trends in international passenger arrivals, and internal political dynamics related to budget negotiations and freedom of speech.

I. Government Agreement with Junts on Migrant Minors and Subsequent Political Reactions:

Review of Recent Economic and Geopolitical Developments in Spain and Beyond

We review news, focusing on the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain and globally, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with a focus on the Kursk region, recent Spanish inflation data, and trends in mortgage foreclosures.

In today episode: