SPAIN: Catalan Elections & more – 28th Mar 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 28th of March twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

First up, the Catalan elections. This week, the Spanish government will be walking a delicate line as Catalan separatists push for independence plans ahead of the elections on the 12th of May.

Even though some surveys predict that the Socialists' Party of Catalunya will win the election, the Esquerra and Junts separatist parties have been realigned to campaign for independence.

Various media outlets have reported that over half the seats in the Generalitat could be swung on the topic of independence, and with Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan president and a figurehead for the Catalan separatist movement, campaigning for his re-election as president, support amongst citizens could be strong.

Additionally, Junts is partnering with smaller groups to prevent the split of the independentist vote in the upcoming parliament elections. Puigdemont is adding independents to his party's lists, focusing on the economy and fiscal deficit, echoing his recent campaign launch for the Generalitat presidency

Now, with the Catalan elections less than a few weeks away, the Partido Popular or PP, has faced challenges of its own in selecting a political candidate.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the PP and Alejandro Fernández, his Catalan counterpart, said they needed to wait for full input and consensus from its members in Catalunya before naming a candidate.

However, the delay raised concerns about the PP's ability to compete effectively in the election, with nearly all of its political rivals choosing candidates well in advance.

Critics argue that the party's indecision only fuels the fire of potential internal divisions and a lack of a clear strategy.

In other government news, talks between the PP and the Socialist Party or PSOE went ahead on Wednesday, the 27th, to discuss the renewal of the judiciary board, an issue which has been ongoing since twenty eighteen. A deadlock between the two sides persisted when the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary became an issue because of a lack of consensus over positions and who should be elected to the board.

Didier Reynders, the European Commissioner for Justice, will mediate the talks, which aim to address long-standing issues such as the election of judges and positions of power within the judiciary system.

Moving on, a judge suspended the decision to block the messaging app Telegram pending a police report.

Judge Santiago Pedraz's order came from the high court in response to the Spanish Data Protection Agency's request to block the app due to privacy and data protection concerns.

However, before making a final decision, the judge opted to wait for a police report on whether Telegram poses a risk to national security and what impact a temporary suspension could have on users.

Telegram has eight million users in Spain and over 900 million users worldwide, making it the world's fourth most popular messaging app. In comparison, WhatsApp has around thirty-five million users in the country. As part of the ruling, the high court has extended Telegram's use for another six months.

Let’s talk about the economy! Spain's economy saw a notable 0.6% GDP expansion in the fourth quarter of twenty twenty-three, exceeding expectations.

The National Statistics Institute released the data on Tuesday, the 26th, marking a 2% year-on-year growth, showing positive indicators such as improved business sentiment.

Investments in green initiatives, digitalization, and government spending further fueled economic expansion, particularly in sectors like housing and manufacturing.

Compared to its European neighbors, Spain's diversified economy is less reliant on manufacturing, which has led to a better recovery from inflation over the last few years.

Spring is upon us. However, the season brings more than warmer temperatures and blossoms this year.

This year's annual income tax campaign, or 'la declaración de la Renta,' starts on the 3rd of April, a little earlier than usual, giving people a few weeks more than in previous years. Anyone employed must provide the tax agency with proof of income for the year so that the tax agency can calculate the total amount of personal income tax each person pays.

Another important change is set to take place in Sevilla. The regional government says it's looking to approve a limit on the number of holiday rental properties this Spring following a decree by the Andalusian government. Recent data suggests that over 60% of residential homes in the old town are used for tourism.

Next, there’s a battle of banks. Basque bank BBVA significantly closed its valuation gap with Santander.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the 24th, a robbery took place in the museum of the Plasencia Cathedral in Extremadura in the early morning hours.

Ernesto Brotóns, the Bishop of Plasencia, spoke about the robbery and expressed the emotional and symbolic loss of invaluable pieces with significant meaning for the people of Plasencia.

Thieves stole jewels, including the crowns of the Virgin of El Puerto and the Child Jesus, pectoral crosses, and episcopal rings. They took roughly two kilograms of gold, eighty-five grams of platinum, and over 2,000 precious gems.

In some news on transport disruptions: The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona has planned two years of work to reduce vibrations across seventeen stations beneath Barcelona and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

The project is estimated to cost over two million euros and plans to target seventeen separate stations across Lines one, two, four, and five.

Line One will undergo the most extensive renovations, but all lines will see procedures that reduce noise and vibrations affecting buildings, increase comfort, and improve the network's overall efficiency.

Be aware that those works will result in multiple lines closing at various times.

Since twenty twenty, BBVA has tripled its share price, catching up with top bank Santander. At the heart of this increase is the difference in business strategies between the banks: BBVA's focus on immediate shareholder returns versus Santander's more cautious approach.

BBVA's Mexico subsidiary has proved quite profitable, while Santander faces challenges in Brazil and the U.S. despite its larger size.

BBVA is worth around sixty billion euros compared with Santander's sixty-nine. This gap has been much smaller since BBVA’s twenty twenty valuation, which was almost twenty billion euros lower than Santander’s.

Speaking of high valuations, the Lavapiés neighborhood in Madrid is getting a major uplit, but at what price?

According to a recent article by news outlet El País, real estate investors, including Elix Rental Housing, owned by AltamarCAM Partners, are gentrifying the area, pushing out local businesses and long-time residents. On Saturday, the 23rd, Elix Rental Housing notified fifty-four existing residents on Seven Tribulete Street of their block's purchase. Madrid Tenants Union warns that residents may face eviction or rent increases followed by renovations to accommodate higher rental prices.

The Regional Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Madrid says the neighborhood has lost 10,000 residents in the last five years, with over five residents leaving daily due to increasing rental prices.

Now, an update on the Luis Rubiales case. A prosecutor within Spain's High Court has pushed for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Luis Rubiales, the ex-football federation chief.

Rubiales got into trouble last August when he placed an unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso after Spain beat England and won the Women's World Cup final in Australia.

Marta Durantez, the prosecutor, charged Rubiales with one count of sexual assault and one of coercion. He could face one year and eighteen months in jail.

Jenni Hermoso has requested a restraining order barring him from coming within 200 meters of her and a ban on communication for the next seven-and-a-half years.

On that note about football, during a press conference on Tuesday the 26th, Brazilian player Vinicius Jr. emotionally disclosed that repeated racist abuse in Spain has significantly reduced his joy for the sport.

Despite reporting multiple incidents throughout the season, Vinicius Jr expressed he is determined not to let the racists drive him out of Spain and emphasized his commitment to Real Madrid.

The emotional press conference that took place before the game has prompted both local and international support and campaigns, aiming to tackle racism more aggressively​​.

And that’s it for this week! Thanks for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!