SPAIN: Unemployment Rises & more – 6th Feb 2025

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 6th of February twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Spain's total number of unemployed citizens rose by nearly 40,000 people in January, bringing the total figure to just over 2.5 million. This start reflects Spain’s worst unemployment increase since twenty thirteen, excluding twenty twenty, the year of the pandemic.

The services sector suffered the most, losing nearly 100,000 jobs. Female unemployment surged by over 30,000, while male unemployment rose by nearly 10,000. Youth unemployment also increased, demonstrating a real issue across the board.

In an update to a story from previous shows, on Tuesday, the 4th, the government approved a plan to reduce the workweek from forty to thirty-seven and a half hours starting in twenty twenty-five. President Pedro Sánchez and his cabinet framed the move as a modernization effort to improve work-life balance.

However, business leaders, including the lobby group Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations, strongly opposed the change, with some walking out of negotiations. Yolanda Díaz, the deputy president, defended the decision, calling it a national project.

The shift follows a recent minimum wage increase.

In more updates, on Monday, the 3rd just over a year after the infamous kiss, Jenni Hermoso, the Spanish football star who helped the country win the twenty twenty-three World Cup, testified against former football federation president Luis Rubiales.

While on trial, Hermoso has consistently stated that his unsolicited kiss during the Women's World Cup medal ceremony stained one of the happiest days of her life. Hermoso emphasized that she never consented to the kiss and felt disrespected.

Rubiales, who resigned as president in September twenty twenty-three, faces charges of sexual assault and coercion, with prosecutors seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Three former colleagues, Jorge Vilda, Rubén Rivera, and Albert Luque, are also on trial for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to declare the kiss consensual. The trial has gained international attention and is scheduled to continue until Wednesday, the 19th.

On Twitter, the response from people was overwhelmingly positive, praising Hermoso for her stand against sexism. However, there have been some negative comments, with videos resurfacing her jubilation with teammates just after the World Cup win.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the 5th, the Catalan government announced the purchase of just over 740 homes from investment fund Divarian for seventy-two million euros.

Ester Paneque, Catalunya’s housing minister, called it the largest operation ever under Catalunya’s preferential purchase law, ensuring vulnerable families remain in their homes.

The purchase supports the region’s goal of increasing public housing from almost 2% to 15%. Meanwhile, major investment funds like Blackstone and Cerberus are leaving Catalunya due to rent caps.

Now, to a local who just wants to keep his home. On Friday the 31st, Josep Torrent, a teacher from Barcelona, avoided an eviction order for his apartment thanks to hundreds of demonstrators, who protested over tourism and gentrification and surrounded the building with banners saying They will not evict us.

Torrent has lived in the building for over twenty years and has refused to leave despite eviction efforts by its new owners, investment fund Lioness Inversiones. Since acquiring the property in twenty twenty-one, the company has stopped renewing leases and begun converting flats into short-term rentals. Despite this, Torrent has continued paying rent despite the landlord refusing to accept it.

Torrent's temporary stay was originally only granted until Tuesday the 4th. However, it has since been postponed to Tuesday the 18th so an update is expected in the coming weeks. While the story has gained significant attention in media outlets across the peninsula, the future of the building remains uncertain.

Let’s talk about school dinners. On Tuesday, the 4th, a government report revealed that one-third of Spain’s school canteens serve excessive fried foods and insufficient vegetables.

Inspections of 5,000 schools in twenty twenty-three found that 30% of them served fried foods more than three times a week, and around 30% offered only two portions of fresh vegetables per week, despite recommendations by the Institutional Commission of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety of between four and five.

To combat childhood obesity, the Ministry of Social Rights has planned a decree to limit unhealthy foods, mandate nutritious options, and ensure menus meet Mediterranean diet standards. So their recommendations will become mandatory.

On Sunday, the 2nd, Spanish beekeepers protested alongside French and Portuguese counterparts against honey fraud, demanding EU action.

A twenty twenty-three European Commission report revealed that around 50% of honey imports tested in Spain between twenty twenty-one and twenty twenty-two were compromised with sugar syrups.

Spain produces 30,000 tonnes of honey annually and faces competition from cheap imports. Experts warn that fake honey lacks aroma and reduces flavor and consistency, while authentic honey should be pure and treated as little as possible.

Producers urge buyers to check labels for origin and certifications like the Protected Geographical Indication label, indicating its quality or reputation.

On to some gambling news. The Ministry of Health is finalizing a report on underage gambling, prompted by the government’s push for urgent action. The proposed measures mandate ID verification for online operators, land-based venues, and slot machines to block access for those under eighteen.

The Joint Commission for the Study of Addiction Problems is reviewing the proposal before a floor vote in Congress.

In entertainment, on Saturday the 1st of February, old tweets from actress Karla Sofía Gascón sparked outrage. The controversy could hurt her Oscar campaign for Best Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez, a musical thriller.

According to many Spanish publications, Gascón’s tweets, which contained offensive remarks about Islam, race, and celebrities, have tarnished her image.

Hollywood’s Muslim Public Affairs Council condemned her comments. With Oscar voting starting on the 11th of February, analysts predict Emilia Pérez could leave the ceremony empty-handed, jeopardizing Gascón’s Hollywood future.

We’ve got news for the fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. On Monday the 3rd, pop singer Melody was announced as Spain’s Eurovision representative after winning Benidorm Fest twenty twenty-five on Saturday the 1st.

The Seville-born singer rose to fame as a child and has since built a successful career with six albums and many international tours.

Set your calendars, as the Eurovision final will be on the 17th of May.

Next up, is AI taking over the world? A couple of weeks back, we spoke about government grants for AI, and now we’re talking about AI dining.

On Monday, the 3rd, Barcelona-El Prat Airport unveiled SELF, the world’s first fully AI-powered restaurant. Developed by IJRR robotics and the Association of Event Venues, the innovative dining spot uses robotic automation to streamline food service.

Customers place orders via touchscreens, receive a QR code - which serves as a ticket and tells them when their food is ready -, and wait for a robotic arm to prepare their meals, handling up to six orders simultaneously.

Sergio Rodriguez, head of Areas Iberia, called SELF a milestone in travel retail. If successful, AI-driven restaurants could expand beyond Barcelona, shaping the future of food service worldwide.

From artificial hospitality to the real deal. On Monday the 3rd, travel website Booking.com recognized Cazorla, located in the province of Jaén, Southern Spain, as the world's second most welcoming town, following Sigiriya in Sri Lanka.

Cazorla sits on the edge of the Sierra de Castril Natural Park, and hosts a population of only 8,000. Its origins trace back to names like Carcesa, Castulo, or Xaroula, meaning Fortress of God, before adopting its current name during the Christian reconquest.

Turning to the media, Where’s the most popular place to get your news in Spain? Well, according to social content reader software Feedreader, which compiles multiple websites in one place, in early twenty twenty-five, Spain’s most-read news outlets were El País, El Mundo, and El Diario.

These top three publications were the same that dominated in twenty twenty-four and are generally seen as the de facto news sites in Spain.

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

We hope you're enjoying the Rorshok Spain update as much as we enjoy making it. Got thoughts, questions, or ideas? Send us an email at info@rorshok.com, and don’t forget to subscribe on your go-to podcast platform!

¡Hasta la próxima!