SPAIN: European Elections & more – 13th Jun 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 13th of June twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

First up, let’s discuss the European Elections. On Sunday, the 9th, the results of the Spanish vote for members of the European parliament were announced.

The People's Party, or PP, got the most votes, securing twenty-two of the country's allocated sixty-one seats. The Socialists, or PSOE, won twenty seats, and the far-right party Vox gained six, though their vote share decreased to over 9% from just over 12%.

After Sumar’s poor performance in the European elections, Yolanda Díaz resigned as the leader of the party. It only won two seats, just one more than rival party Podemos.

Díaz announced she would step down as Sumar's leader but remain as the Second Deputy President.

More about the European elections as there has been an unexpected emergence for the party Se Acabó la Fiesta or SALF.

Alvise Pérez founded the SALF far-right political party in twenty nineteen. The party has slowly been rising through Spanish politics and now challenges the political market share of Vox voters.

Taking both SALF and Vox votes into account, the far right has expanded its presence in Spanish European politics to over 14%.

Some political scientists attribute the rise in far-right politics to the PP's campaigning strategies, which normalized extreme rhetoric.

Moving on, a delay in publishing Spain's amnesty law has complicated Carles Puigdemont's plan to return to Catalonia without arrest.

The purpose of the amnesty law is to facilitate political reconciliation and allow individuals who fled the country following the illegal independence vote in twenty seventeen, like Carles Puigdemont, to return without fear of arrest and prosecution.

The amnesty law was approved on the 30th of May, but it is yet to appear in the Official State Gazette, a necessary step in the law's procedure for implementation.

Gonzalo Boye, Puigdemont's lawyer, accused the Spanish government of delaying publication to avoid political repercussions, with many critics of the government accusing President Sanchez of the same.

Staying with Catalan Politics, on Monday, the 10th, the Spanish Constitutional Court warned that any attempt to allow exiled Catalan politicians to vote remotely in the Catalan Parliament without justified cause would be legally void.

This follows the court's ruling last week, which invalidated the remote voting mechanism for Lluís Puig, the former Catalan Minister of Culture. Despite the court's decision, the pro-independence majority in the Catalan Parliament has announced that they will accept the votes of Puigdemont and Puig.

This situation is further complicated by delays in the publication of the amnesty law, The government’s handling of this issue has been criticized, as the situation could be seen as a way to bargain for more power and maintain control.

Now, an update on Spain’s position on Israel and Palestine. On Thursday, the 6th, Spain announced it would join South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice in accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Foreign Minister, has been clear in stating Spain's goal to end the war and promote a two-state solution where both Israel and Palestine can co-exist.

Spain is the first European nation to join twelve other countries in this ongoing case. The International Court of Justice is examining whether Israel's actions in Gaza, following Hamas's attack last October, constitute genocide.

In other news, last week marked one year since Spain’s historic menstrual leave law was passed, but according to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, it’s barely been used.

Since the Spanish government passed the menstrual leave law, only around 1,550 instances of leave were recorded.

The policy allows employees experiencing period pain to take leave with a doctor's approval, which is covered by the state social security system. However, the law restricts leave to those with diagnosed conditions like endometriosis and not to those without, meaning the uptake has been low because people may not have had a diagnosis yet.

Critics highlight issues such as workplace stigma and the cumbersome process of obtaining leave. However, government adviser Mónica Ciria views the policy positively, acknowledging that it does try to address workplace taboos. However, implementation hurdles and fear of discrimination have hindered its widespread adoption.

Up next, on Saturday, the 8th, thousands took to the streets in the Balearic Islands to protest against mass tourism and overcrowding. Demonstrators in Menorca and Mallorca demanded action against tourism, arguing that holiday rentals are pricing locals out.

Carme Reines, a leading representative from a collective that organized the protest in Palma de Mallorca, called for restrictions on property purchases and stricter controls on holiday accommodations. The Balearic Group of Ornithology and Defense of Nature of Menorca highlighted increasing issues like housing access and water management.

The Spanish National Police reported around 10,000 participants in Mallorca and a few hundred in Menorca. The protests are part of a broader movement across Spain and coincided with similar demonstrations in Barcelona and Ibiza.

On Tuesday, the 11th, Pablo Hernández de Cos, The Governor of the Bank of Spain, concluded his six-year term.

Traditionally, the ruling party appoints the governor, and the opposition appoints the deputy governor, but poor political discord between the PSOE and the PP has disrupted this practice.

During his tenure, Hernández de Cos lowered interest rates and increased Spanish banks' regulatory capital, which protects banks from going bust.

In the media space, Spain will be the Country of Honor at the twenty twenty-four Mipcom, the world's largest TV content market.

Lucy Smith, the director of Mipcom, announced the honor at a press conference in Madrid. The event will highlight Spanish creativity through panels, screenings, and co-production opportunities, recognizing Spain's rising global position in the content creation world.

Spain's Audiovisual Hub plan, launched in twenty twenty-one by Pedro Sánchez, has fueled significant growth in the entertainment sector. In twenty twenty-two, thirty-four scripted series for global platforms were produced, including many popular shows, such as the critically acclaimed Money Heist series on Netflix.

In some sports news, as we get stuck into summer, Football is back with the UEFA European Football Championship. The Spanish team, or La Roja, is set to blend youth with experience as they aim for their fourth continental title.

Luis de la Fuente announced his squad line-up on Sunday, the 9th. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are now retired, leaving space for new talents. Some veterans include Alvaro Morata, a striker, and Pedri, a returning central midfielder, and for the newbies, eyes are on the sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal who made his debut in twenty twenty-three in the La Liga tournament.

Let's take a look at the weather. On Wednesday, the 12th, a severe storm hit southeastern Spain.

The storm brought significant rainfall and heavy periods of hail. In the city of Xàbia, Alicante, rainfall peaked at roughly sixty liters of water per square meter, while Murcia saw over forty liters in twenty minutes.

The storm caused numerous incidents across Andalucia, including a derailed train in Albacete. Several people had to be rescued from their vehicles because of the flooding.

Emergency services have been working hard across the affected regions to deal with the storm's aftermath.

In travel news, Renfe has revised its punctuality policy, effective from the 1st of July.

Now Renfe will refund the full ticket price for AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed, and Intercity trains if delays exceed ninety minutes instead of the previous thirty minutes.

And to close this edition, Archaeologists from Spain’s National Research Council have discovered a 6th-century BC slate plaque at the Casas del Turunuelo site in Guareña, Badajoz.

The plaque is engraved on both sides and features battle scenes and geometric figures, likely used by an engraver for designs in wood, ivory, or gold. This rare find provides insights into ancient processes and society.

The Tartessians, early Western European inhabitants of southern Iberia, were skilled metalworkers. The excavation also revealed other treasures, including a large slate-paved courtyard.

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

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