SPAIN: & more – Power, Prices & Protests 19th Mar 2026

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 19th of March twenty twenty-six. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain

First up, the conservative Partido Popular or PP won the regional election in Castilla y León, in the northeast, on Sunday, the 15th, while the far-right party Vox underperformed expectations.

With nearly all votes counted, the PP secured thirty-three seats in the eighty-two-seat parliament, ahead of the Socialists with thirty, while Vox took fourteen, fewer than predicted. Despite the win, the PP will likely need Vox’s support to form a government.

The vote comes as Pedro Sánchez has been gaining respect and prominence internationally for his stance on the Iran-related conflict, ahead of Spain’s twenty twenty-seven general election.

The result contrasts with earlier regional elections where the Socialists suffered losses, suggesting they are gradually gaining more support. It also signals that far-right momentum may be slowing in some areas.

In wider politics, on Tuesday the 17th, the country warned the EU against suspending its emissions trading system, which caps pollution, lets companies buy and sell energy permits, and incentivises reducing carbon emissions through market pricing. The proposal to suspend it, which is supported by countries like Italy, is to reduce price disruptions caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane for international trade.

Sara Aagesen Muñoz, Energy Minister, has argued that the trading system has been important for reducing fossil fuel climate change, and noted that the EU maintained the scheme during the twenty twenty-two Ukraine energy crisis.

Spain, supported by Portugal and several northern European countries, favours preserving the system while improving it, including using carbon reserves to stabilise prices.

Continuing with creeping costs, on Tuesday, the 17th, the central government announced it will approve an action plan on Friday, the 20th, to address the economic impact of the Iran war, particularly rising fuel prices. The package aims to support vulnerable groups and heavily affected sectors, especially transport and agriculture.

The decision follows internal disagreements within the coalition government. Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s Minister of Labour and Social Economy, pushed for swift action, while María Jesús Montero and Carlos Cuerpo, also high-ranking members of the government, preferred waiting for guidance from the EU.

Although full details are not finalised, proposed measures include targeted fuel support, possible energy tax reductions, temporary lay-offs, and limited social aid. Unlike in twenty twenty-two when Russia invaded Ukraine, wider fuel subsidies are unlikely, as the proposal is more concentrated on fuel prices rather than wider inflation.

Speaking of Ukraine. On Wednesday, the 18th, President Pedro Sánchez announced that the government has agreed to pledge over 875 million euros in military aid for the Eastern European country during twenty twenty-six.

This latest commitment isn’t the first. It reinforces Spain’s ongoing support as Ukraine seeks sustained international assistance. In addition to funding, both countries will expand defense cooperation, including joint production of drones, radar systems, and missile-related technology, strengthening Ukraine’s air defense.

Sánchez has specifically said that the country's backing will remain steady despite other global issues. The aid package also aligns with broader reconstruction efforts, managed through Spain’s newly established Office for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

Moving on to the royals. On Monday the 16th, King Felipe VI made a rare and pretty candid admission: Spain’s colonial-era laws often exploited people, especially Indigenous communities.

Speaking in Madrid, he said it’s tough to view that history with pride through today’s values, but that it’s important to remember historical context. The empire, stretching from the 16th to 18th centuries, was built in part on forced labour and stolen land.

Spain still hasn’t issued a formal apology, and it’s a sticking point with Mexico. Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador pushed for one, and current leader Claudia Sheinbaum recently snubbed the king when he refused to formally do so.

Next up. Let’s talk about unions. On Monday, the 16th, the Platform for a Dignified Retirement and Equal Pay announced that thirteen police unions and Civil Guard groups plan to attend a Catholic mass in uniform at Almudena Cathedral on the 9th of May in protest against working conditions, better policies for retirement and equal pay.

While the event has been organized to honour fallen officers, the gathering is also being seen as a strategic form of protest, as officers are normally banned from wearing uniforms at demonstrations or risk disciplinary action.

Organisers have said they hope thousands will attend and say the event will be cancelled if talks resume beforehand.

Perhaps an unanticipated part of the hostility and warfare across the Middle East is the Easter holiday travel patterns.

Based on data obtained by the British news outlet, The Standard, and travel company TUI’s Managing Director, Neil Swanson, many tourists from the UK are cancelling trips to the Middle East and trading them in for flights to Spain.

European destinations in general have seen higher bookings recently, but countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Greece are seeing significant increases, particularly for Easter holidays. Tourists are opting for closer, more familiar locations, while long-haul demand has also increased for Caribbean destinations like the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

Lots of European countries, including Spain and the UK, have advised against non-essential travel to the UAE until told otherwise.

On Wednesday, the 18th, Spain’s leading online real estate marketplace, Idealista, released a fascinating article about the country’s rental situation.

In twenty twenty-four, listings averaged just over twenty-five enquiries each, up 55% from seventeen in twenty twenty-three - a huge jump in just one year. By late twenty twenty-five, however, the number kept rising, hitting thirty-four per listing, a further 14% increase year-on-year across the Peninsula.

And that’s not just it. Around 16% of rentals were snapped up within twenty-four hours in twenty twenty-three, rising to about 18% in early twenty twenty-four and holding near 17% by the end of the year, showing just how consistently fast the market has become.

Demand is predictably especially intense in major cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, but the trend is becoming more common everywhere.

Idealist highlights several factors for this trend: growing populations, higher mortgage rates pushing people toward renting, and landlords withdrawing properties due to regulatory uncertainty. As a result, competition is fierce, particularly for affordable homes.

Let’s shake things up a bit. On Wednesday the 18th, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck shortly after midnight in the western Alboran Sea, and was felt across much of southern Spain, including Andalucia, as well as Cáceres, in the west.

According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute, the quake originated at a depth of nearly 100km, which explains why it was widely felt but relatively weak at the surface. Experts note that this region is known for deeper, intermediate earthquakes, likely linked to complex tectonic activity between Spain and Morocco.

Residents in cities like Málaga, Córdoba, and Sevilla, in the south, also reported mild shaking, but luckily, there weren’t any injuries.

This next story is for you campervanners out there! On Tuesday, the 17th, the Dirección General de Tráfico announced that stricter rules for motorhomes and camper vans will go into immediate effect and will apply to both residents and visitors.

The overhaul clarifies parking, overnight stays, and inspection requirements. Local councils now have stronger powers, backed by a Supreme Court ruling, to restrict or ban overnight stays outside authorised areas, particularly in busy tourist regions. Drivers must use designated service points, marked by the new S-128 sign, for waste disposal or risk fines.

Overall, the country now has some of the strictest motorhome regulations in Europe, aiming to control overcrowding, protect public spaces, and ensure safety compliance.

Annnddd finally, an opinion piece from El Pais writer, David Trueba, about common sense.

Trueba, challenges the idea of “common sense.” He argues that people use it to defend harmful beliefs. He shows how political language has long been twisted - like the German Democratic Republic, which wasn’t truly democratic. Today, he says, people again weaponise “common sense” in Spain and beyond to resist progress, including LGBTQ+ rights. His key point: common sense isn’t neutral—it reflects power and tradition.

What do you think - can “common sense” ever be truly objective?

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

Anything you want to tell us? info@rorshok.com.

¡Hasta la próxima!