SPAIN: Extended Parental Leave & more – 31st July 2025

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 31st of July twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Kicking off this week’s episode, on Tuesday the 29th, Spain announced plans to extend fully paid parental leave to seventeen weeks from sixteen for both mothers and fathers.

Alongside Finland, Spain is the only EU nation offering equal, fully paid leave to both parents. Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s Labor Minister, praised the move as a step toward greater gender equality, noting that 40% of Spanish fathers now take parental leave.

The new measure also includes an extra two weeks of paid leave that can be used until the child turns eight. While the policy falls short of the twenty weeks promised during the twenty twenty-three election campaign, Díaz said the parliamentary response has been positive.

Next, on Monday the 28th, President Pedro Sánchez gave his final summer press conference, where many people were waiting to hear about the 12 million euro contract awarded to Huawei to store sensitive judicial wiretap data.

The deal was revealed earlier this month and sparked concerns from EU and US officials due to Huawei’s alleged ties to the Chinese government. Despite growing criticism, Sánchez didn’t mention it, and his government has declined to comment.

The Spanish Interior Ministry defended the contract when it was announced, stating it poses no security risk and meets national standards. US lawmakers warned the deal could jeopardize intelligence sharing.

On Tuesday, the 29th, the opposition party, the Partido Popular or PP, demanded that Álvaro García Ortiz, Spain’s Attorney General, immediately resign after the Supreme Court confirmed it would try him as a witness in the Ayuso case.

Ortiz allegedly leaked confidential information about a tax investigation involving the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of the Community of Madrid. The case is also examining Ayuso’s potential direct involvement.

The PP spokesperson Ester Muñoz called the situation a disgrace and insisted resignation is the only option left.

Continuing with calls for resignations - this time in Eastern Spain. On Tuesday, the 29th, around 1,500 people marched through Catarroja in Valencia to demand the resignation of Valencian president Carlos Mazón over his handling of the devastating flood that occurred last October.

It was organized by over 200 civic, social, and victims’ groups, and was the ninth major protest since the floods throughout November twenty twenty-four.

Rosa Álvarez, president of the Victims’ Association, called the flood a homicide and vowed to keep fighting until Mazón and his supporters leave office.

While Mazón retains his position, late on Wednesday, the 30th, José María Ángel, the Minister of Territorial Policy for Valencia, who is responsible for commissioning the reconstruction of areas affected by the floods, resigned.

This news comes after he was accused by the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency of faking a university degree that enabled him to get the civil service position, which he has held for almost forty-three years.

In tech news, Spain’s antitrust authority, the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia, or CNMC, says it has expanded its investigation into Apple this week over alleged anti-competitive practices in the App Store.

Initially launched in July twenty twenty-four, the investigation accuses Apple of imposing unfair commercial conditions on app developers. On Tuesday, the CNMC cited new evidence suggesting Apple requires developers to adhere to its pricing model, potentially violating EU competition laws.

Apple denied the allegations, stating the App Store offers a safe, trusted platform and strong business opportunities. On the same day, Apple said it had continued cooperating with Spanish authorities.

From antitrust to outrage, on Tuesday the 29th, the Archdiocese of Barcelona publicly criticized the official poster for the twenty twenty-five La Mercè festival, accusing it of mocking religious symbols, particularly the Virgin Mary.

The artwork created by director and set designer Lluís Danés features a Baroque-style altarpiece mounted on a cart, with circus performers and a central female figure wearing a halo, crown, and cloak, elements typically associated with the Virgin. In the video version, the figure dances and exposes red underwear, further fueling the controversy.

Cardinal Juan José Omella condemned the imagery as irreverent, saying it disrespects the faith of those who revere La Mercè, the city's patron saint. Barcelona’s city council defended the artist’s creative freedom, stating there was no intent to reference religious figures.

Want to see the artwork and the video? Link in the show notes!

Now on to a slightly more successful project. In early June, authorities launched a pilot program in Sangüesa, Navarra, in northern Spain. Residents deposit plastic bottles or cans into special machines and receive a ten-cent voucher per item, redeemable in stores. The system mirrors long-standing models in countries like Germany

In Sangüesa, almost 75% of containers sold were returned, showing strong community engagement. According to news outlet Veinte Minutos, the government plans on rolling this scheme out nationwide within the next two years.

Get your skates on! Popular French supermarket chain Carrefour has launched a nationwide initiative inviting shoppers to roller-skate through its hypermarkets during a daily Roller-Hour from 4 pm to 5 pm until the 31st of August.

This campaign revives a memorable era in the company’s history when employees used skates to navigate the stores. It’s also a response to a surge of nostalgic comments on social media celebrating this era.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the 27th, Euronews published an article about an invasion of the seaweed species Rugulopteryx okamurae that has overwhelmed Cádiz in Southern Spain, which authorities have been removing from La Caleta beach since May twenty twenty-five.

José Carlos Teruel, responsible for Cádiz city council's beaches, called the situation an environmental catastrophe, as seaweed floods the shore with every westerly wind. Originally arriving via trade ships, the algae have spread across southern Spain, the Canary Islands, the Azores, and even parts of northern Spain.

Teruel says it harms tourism, fishing, and biodiversity by displacing native species and damaging marine ecosystems. The Andalusian government has proposed a four-part plan focusing on research, education, and potential recycling. However, experts warn that while biomass use may help, it cannot reverse the widespread ecological impact.

Want to sample something special? Well, in Galicia’s O Rosal valley in Northwestern Spain, the mirabelle plum flourishes for only three weeks each summer, making it a rare and highly valued seasonal fruit.

Teacher José Sánchez García introduced mirabelles in the nineteen thirties, and they have since become deeply rooted in the region’s culture and agriculture. This golden-yellow plum, known locally as Mirabel do Rosal, thrives in Galicia’s unique microclimate, producing sweeter and more aromatic fruit than its French counterparts.

Mirabelles are perfect from mid-July to early August, so if you’re keen to try some incredible fruit, it might be time to book a flight!

Meanwhile, popular Spanish singer Rosalía came under a bit of fire at the end of last week.

On Thursday, the 24th, Miguel Adrover Barceló, a Spanish fashion designer, publicly announced he has refused to create a custom outfit for the singer because she hasn't used her platform to support Palestine and denounce genocide. In the post, he goes on to say he admires her, but that her silence is complicity.

The singer responded on her socials, expressing that although she hasn't been public according to the expectations of others, it doesn't mean she doesn't condemn what's happening. The public is divided. What are your thoughts?

In sport, on Sunday the 26th, Spain’s quest for its first Women’s UEFA title continues after a heartbreaking loss to England in the twenty twenty-five final.

The game concluded at a one-all draw and went down to penalties, with England shining through. Fans strongly supported the Spanish side at the Euros, and although the scoreline didn't favor them, Spain’s head coach Montse Tomé praised her players during a press conference.

And finally…on the 2nd of July next year, Barcelona will host the official team presentation for the twenty twenty-six Tour de France, showcasing a unique blend of Catalan modernist architecture and a legendary sporting event.

Mayor Jaume Collboni announced that cyclists will parade along the city’s famous Avenida Gaudí, between the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site and the Sagrada Familia, marking the symbolic start of the Grand Départ.

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

Want to pass along an episode? Go to www.rorshok.com/spain and download any of the shows as .mp3 files. Link in the show notes!

¡Hasta la próxima!