Spain political news

Here are some recent and important political news from Spain:

Current Events

  1. Catalan Independence Crisis: The Spanish government has been dealing with the aftermath of the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, which led to the imprisonment of several Catalan leaders, including former President Carles Puigdemont. The crisis has led to ongoing tensions between the Spanish government and the Catalan regional government.
  2. Coronavirus Pandemic: Spain has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 3 million confirmed cases and over 70,000 deaths. The government has implemented various measures to contain the spread of the virus, including lockdowns, travel restrictions, and vaccination campaigns.
  3. Elections: Spain held regional elections in November 2020, which saw the Socialists (PSOE) win the most seats in the Congress of Deputies, but without a majority. The election led to a period of political instability, with the PSOE eventually forming a government with the support of the left-wing Unidas Podemos party.

Recent Developments

  1. New Government: In January 2021, the PSOE and Unidas Podemos formed a new government, with Pedro Sánchez as Prime Minister and Pablo Iglesias as Deputy Prime Minister. The government has pledged to address issues such as climate change, inequality, and economic recovery.
  2. Catalan Independence: In February 2021, the Spanish government approved a new law aimed at preventing the declaration of independence by the Catalan regional government. The law gives the central government more powers to intervene in the region's affairs.
  3. Corruption Scandals: Spain has been plagued by several high-profile corruption scandals in recent years, including the "Gürtel" case, which involves allegations of bribery and embezzlement by politicians and business leaders. In February 2021, several former politicians were sentenced to prison for their involvement in the scandal.
  4. Brexit: Spain has been affected by the UK's departure from the European Union, with concerns about the impact on trade, tourism, and the rights of Spanish citizens living in the UK.

Upcoming Events

  1. Regional Elections: Regional elections are scheduled to take place in several Spanish regions, including Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country, in May 2021.
  2. European Parliament Elections: Spain will hold elections to the European Parliament in June 2021, which will determine the country's representation in the European Parliament.

Key Players

  1. Pedro Sánchez: Prime Minister of Spain since June 2018, leading the PSOE party.
  2. Pablo Iglesias: Deputy Prime Minister of Spain since January 2021, leading the Unidas Podemos party.
  3. Carles Puigdemont: Former President of Catalonia, currently in exile in Belgium.
  4. María Jesús Montero: Minister of Finance and Public Function, responsible for the country's economic policy.

Sources

  1. El País (Spanish newspaper)
  2. El Mundo (Spanish newspaper)
  3. La Vanguardia (Spanish newspaper)
  4. BBC News (international news organization)
  5. Reuters (international news organization)

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other important political news from Spain that is not included here.