SPAIN: AI Restrictions & more – 15th Jan 2026

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 15th of January twenty twenty-six. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

On Tuesday, the 13th, Spain’s cabinet approved a draft legislation aimed at curbing AI-generated deepfakes and tightening consent rules for the use of images and voices.

The bill strengthens protections for children and will set sixteen as the minimum age for consenting to the use of their image. It also prevents people from reusing online photos or creating and using AI-generated voices or likenesses without explicit permission.

The reform, however, does allow people to use public figures in creative, satirical, or fictional cases if they are clearly labelled as AI-made.

The move aligns Spain with forthcoming EU rules that will require member states to criminalize non-consensual sexual deepfakes by twenty twenty-seven.

In international news, on Tuesday the 13th, Spain has requested that Iran’s ambassador stationed in Madrid formally protest the Iranian government’s crackdown on ongoing demonstrations, which civil rights groups say have killed hundreds of people.

José Manuel Albares, the foreign minister, condemned the repression in Iran, calling for the Iranians’ right to peaceful protest, while demanding an end to arrests. Albares stressed that Iran must return to dialogue and negotiations, with particular attention to women’s rights, which have been a central issue in the protests.

The unrest began over economic grievances but has evolved into a major challenge to Iran’s theocratic political system, which has been in power since the nineteen seventy-nine Islamic Revolution.

Next up, new laws for twenty twenty-six. Spain’s non-contributory retirement pension is set to rise again, meaning more stay-at-home people and others without enough work contributions are expected to qualify for financial support.

This change matters because many people, particularly women who have spent years raising families or caring for relatives, often reach retirement age without the fifteen years of social security payments required for a standard pension.

To qualify, applicants must be at least sixty-five, have lived in Spain for ten years, and meet strict income limits, as the benefit is designed for those with little or no other income. While modest, the increase could improve financial security and recognize decades of unpaid domestic and care work.

In housing news, on Wednesday, the 14th, Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs rejected government proposals to give tax bonuses to landlords who limit rent increases, saying such incentives would worsen income inequality in the rental market.

The ministry argues that landlords already earn significantly more than tenants in many regions, often about twice as much. The proposals would have offered tax breaks to landlords who keep rents steady, but the ministry says this voluntary approach wouldn’t guarantee lower prices and could normalize public support for private profit.

The government is now insisting on stronger tenant protections, stricter enforcement of rental laws and more affordable housing options.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the 13th, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met President Pedro Sánchez in Madrid, marking the first visit to Spain in thirteen years of a Greek leader.

At a joint news conference, Mitsotakis said both governments support the full implementation of a peace plan in Gaza and called for a rapid move toward its second phase, which is intended to consolidate the ceasefire and advance a longer-term settlement for Palestinians.

The leaders also discussed wider international issues, including the situation in Venezuela, stressing the need for de-escalation and a smooth transition to a democratically legitimate government, as well as strengthening bilateral economic ties between the two countries.

Speaking of agreements, on Thursday, the 8th, the Catholic Church and central government reached a breakthrough settlement on compensation for victims of Catholic Church sexual abuse, clearing the way for a papal visit later this year.

This news officially ends about two years of dispute between the Church and the government over who was responsible for the payouts, which began after a twenty twenty-three report estimated that over one per cent of Spaniards suffered abuse in church contexts.

On Tuesday, the 13th, Spain’s High Court opened a preliminary investigation into sexual assault and harassment allegations against singer Julio Iglesias, following claims reported by Spanish outlet elDiario and U.S. broadcaster Univision.

The accusations involve two former female employees who worked at Iglesias’ Caribbean residences in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas for ten months in twenty twenty-one. According to the reports, the women alleged that Iglesias pressured them into sexual encounters and subjected them to verbal and physical abuse.

Iglesias, who is eighty-two, has not publicly commented, and his record label, Sony, hasn’t responded yet either.

On to tourism now, the country’s tourism sector is beginning to lose momentum, closing twenty twenty-five with 2.5% growth, slightly below the country’s 2.9% GDP rise.

Experts have said this reflects a steady normalization shift, after rapid increases in twenty twenty-three and twenty twenty-four. Visitor numbers from several key European markets, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy, have declined, although arrivals from the UK, Portugal and Ireland rose.

While foreign spending grew, overall tourist numbers and overnight stays showed only modest increases. Analysts say this slowdown stems not from weak demand but from rising costs, tougher competition and more selective travellers. It’s not all bad, though; tourism still generated over 200 billion euros in twenty twenty-five, representing 13% of the overall economy.

On Monday, the 12th, Spain made its largest-ever cocaine seizure at sea after intercepting a container ship in the Atlantic Ocean carrying nearly ten tonnes of the drug hidden in shipments of salt.

The Cameroon-flagged vessel, which had departed from Brazil and was heading to Europe, was boarded by the country’s elite Special Operations Group, and officers arrested all thirteen crew members.

The operation, codenamed White Tide, involved a major international effort including Spanish authorities, the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the UK National Crime Agency, Brazilian federal police and agencies from France and Portugal.

To know more about this story, check out the Rorshok Ocean Update with the link in the show notes.

Next, according to the car manufacturers' association Anfac, Spain has set a new record in electric vehicle infrastructure, with over 53,000 public charging points nationwide.

The network of chargers grew by just under 40% in twenty twenty-five. In twenty twenty-four, the country had around just under 40,000 of them. However, despite the larger amount, many of them can’t be used; one in four chargers don’t work, with roughly 16,000 charging points currently out of service because of technical faults, being in poor condition, or having no connection to the electricity grid.

So progress in theory, but in reality, charging electric vehicles still has a long way to go.

In sports news, on Tuesday, 14th, the country officially joined the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport or EPAS, becoming the organisation’s 42nd member state. EPAS is a Council of Europe framework that helps countries work together on sport policy, with a focus on fairness, inclusion and safety. By joining, the central government has shown its commitment to promoting ethical and inclusive sport.

Membership will also enable Spain to participate in discussions and decision-making at the international level, sharing experiences and learning from other European countries on issues such as effective leadership, integrity in sport, and protecting athletes.

Finally, let’s talk conspiracy. According to the London School of Economics, conspiracy theories have become increasingly mainstream across national politics, used by both the radical right and left to polarize society and undermine trust in institutions.

Historically rooted in antisemitic and anti-Masonic narratives, conspiratorial thinking has been reinvigorated by events such as the two thousand four and twenty seventeen terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the fast-growing radical right, especially Vox and the Catalan Alliance, promotes the so-called great replacement theory, saying that elites are deliberately encouraging Muslim immigration to displace native populations.

Survey data shows that the country has shifted from having the lowest to the firmest belief in this theory in just three years. At the same time, conspiracies about judges and security services plotting against elected governments, which used to come mostly from secessionist and far-left groups, are now even spreading to the Socialists in power.

Check out the piece with the link in the show notes.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

Quick question, is there a specific monopoly in Spain you think is a big problem? Let us know at info@rorshok.com

¡Hasta la próxima!