Forty years on from signing up to the EEC
Forty years on, Spain’s EU membership remains both a success story and a source of new challenges, having shaped the nation’s path.
Inside Spain
The impact of the NGEU funds begins to be felt
Spain is the second largest recipient, after Italy, of grants and loans under the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) programme.
Spain under pressure to spend more on defence
Spain’s defence expenditure is the lowest among the 32 NATO members. The government is finding it politically difficult to increase it.
Some brighter spots in education
Spain has made significant progress in reducing early school-leaving rates, a long-standing challenge in its education system.
The middle class recovers
The middle class grew until the 2008 economic crash, declined during COVID, and has now returned to its previous share of the population.
A buoyant economy, marred by an overheated property market
Spain's economy led in 2024's macroeconomic data, with the focus now on tackling the escalating housing crisis.
Spain’s stressful water problem
Spain has been hit by torrential rain, causing deadly flooding, and by drought, all caused by country's persistent water management issues.
Spain’s complex demographic reality
Spain's declining birth rates and ageing population highlight an urgent need for policy and societal reform in a complex demographic reality.
The ups and downs of Spain’s centuries-long economic development
The development of Spain's 750-year economic journey is marked by periods of stagnation, growth, and revival across the centuries.
Spain’s mixed education results
Spain shows mixed results in education, with high rates of over-qualification, early school-leaving, and inconsistent PISA scores.
Catalonia returns to a semblance of normality
The price for Catalonia 's first non-separatist government in a decade is a controversial new financing pact for the region.
King Felipe VI restores trust in the monarchy in his first decade
Felipe VI has restored confidence in the institution and is much more popular than his father and also the country’s leading politicians.