AGP Executive Report

U.S.–Spain Trade Row: Washington is proposing $200,000 fees on Spanish-flagged ships and restrictions on Spanish imports, citing Madrid’s refusal to admit U.S. vessels carrying military cargo to Israel. Spain says the response falls within the EU’s remit. Election Watch: Spain’s electoral board has opened proceedings over Pedro Sánchez’s housing remarks after an opposition complaint. The Supreme Court has also kept voting restrictions in place for about 163,000 naturalized citizens covered by the Grandchildren’s Law, ahead of the November 29 election. Ceuta Tensions: Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for the navy to be deployed after reports of Moroccan incursions into Spanish waters. Sánchez reaffirmed constructive ties with Morocco, while King Felipe VI stressed Spain’s sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla during his historic visit. Housing: The crisis remains a defining campaign issue, with protests and evictions intensifying pressure on the government and opposition parties.

Election Scrutiny: Spain’s electoral board has opened proceedings against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over housing remarks, adding to scrutiny as the country heads toward a snap election on November 29. Left-Wing Alliances: Podemos, Izquierda Unida and other parties have agreed to run together in the Canary Islands, while wider efforts to unite the left remain unsettled. EU Budget Fight: Sánchez clashed with leaders over the bloc’s next long-term budget, calling the proposed spending a “distribution of misery”; a further summit is planned for November. Leaders also agreed to review the EU carbon market amid pressure to ease climate rules. Housing and Voting Rights: Housing costs remain a defining election issue. Separately, the Supreme Court has kept restrictions in place that prevent about 163,000 citizens naturalized under the “grandchildren’s law” from voting in November. Ceuta and Morocco: Sánchez has reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to constructive ties with Morocco after King Felipe VI’s historic visit to Ceuta, which renewed focus on sovereignty and border tensions.

US–Spain Dispute: Washington is proposing fees of about €180,000 on Spanish ships and import curbs over Spain’s port restrictions. Madrid says the measures fall under EU authority. Election Campaign: A state poll puts the Socialists ahead, with their lead widening as housing dominates debate before the November 29 snap election. Parties are also racing to register coalitions, amid talks over how the left will coordinate. Housing Pressure: Spain’s housing crunch remains a central political flashpoint, with protests and rental-market concerns shaping the campaign. Ceuta and Melilla: King Felipe VI reaffirmed Spain’s sovereignty during a landmark visit and called for illegal arrivals to be returned, as migration tensions with Morocco persist.

US–Spain Dispute: Washington’s maritime commission proposed fees of about €180,000 per Spanish-flagged ship and possible limits on Spanish imports, accusing Madrid of restricting US port access. Spain says the response falls within the EU’s remit. Election and Housing: Housing remains the leading concern as Spain heads toward a November 29 snap election. The Socialists have widened their lead in a state-run poll, while protests and demands for affordable homes keep pressure on the government. Ceuta and Morocco: King Felipe VI reaffirmed Spain’s sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla during a rare visit, as questions over Moroccan naval incursions and migration strain relations. EU Budget: Leaders began tense talks on the bloc’s next long-term budget, with no clear path to agreement; Spain is also seeking partners’ backing over the Ceuta migration crisis.

Election Race: Spain’s November 29 snap election is sharpening: a state-run poll puts the Socialists at 34%, while the People’s Party posts its weakest result of the legislature. Podemos has launched Irene Montero’s leadership primary, and Ada Colau says she may step aside to help unite the left—but the parties remain divided over how to choose a joint candidate. Ceuta Tensions: King Felipe VI’s historic visit reaffirmed Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla as “non-negotiable.” The government has called Moroccan warship incursions during July’s border crisis an “isolated incident,” drawing demands for greater accountability. Housing Pressure: The death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal after her eviction has made housing a defining campaign issue, fuelling nationwide protests and a planned November 11 general strike. Voting Rights: The Supreme Court upheld a restriction barring about 163,000 newly naturalized citizens under the “grandchildren’s law” from voting in the election, intensifying a dispute over overseas voting rights.

Ceuta and Morocco: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia made their first visit to Ceuta in 19 years, backing the Spanish enclave after July’s mass migrant surge. The visit comes amid strained ties with Morocco: Pedro Sánchez says Moroccan navy vessels entered Spanish waters during the crisis, putting migration at the heart of the Nov. 29 election campaign. Election Stakes: Polls point to a possible PP–Vox majority, while parties to the left of Sánchez’s PSOE remain divided. Housing Crisis: Housing is a central campaign battleground after protests over evictions and rents; Spain has just 1.5% public housing, far below the Netherlands’ 34%. Voting Rights: The Supreme Court has upheld the suspension of voting rights for about 163,000 naturalised citizens under the “grandchildren’s law,” drawing government criticism weeks before the election. Pensions: The November 27 inflation release will set the 2027 pension revaluation, just two days before voters go to the polls.

Ceuta and Morocco: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia made their first royal visit to Ceuta since 2007, pledging support after July’s mass crossing from Morocco. The visit comes amid strained relations with Rabat and mounting criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s handling of the crisis. Sánchez has also acknowledged that Moroccan navy vessels entered Spanish waters during the influx. Election Stakes: Migration and housing are emerging as central issues ahead of the November 29 general election. Protests over evictions and soaring rents have intensified after the death of pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, and unions have called a general strike for November 11. Voting Rights: Spain’s Supreme Court maintained restrictions that will keep about 163,000 people naturalised under the “grandchildren’s law” from voting in the election. Party Alliances: The conservative PP and Navarra’s UPN have agreed to run together, while Miriam González Durántez has launched a centrist party focused on housing and political reform.

Ceuta and Morocco: King Felipe VI’s first visit to Ceuta as monarch comes amid fresh scrutiny of July’s border crisis. Sánchez says Moroccan naval vessels entered Spanish waters during the mass migrant influx, sharpening tensions with Rabat. Election Campaign: Sánchez was booed at Spain’s National Day parade as he faces a snap election next month. The housing crisis is central to the campaign: parliament blocked his reform package, protests have spread, and polls put the conservatives ahead, with Vox a potential coalition partner. Voting Rights: The Supreme Court has kept restrictions in place that bar about 163,000 naturalised citizens covered by the “Law of Grandchildren” from voting in the November election.

Election Campaign: Pedro Sánchez was booed at Spain’s National Day parade, seven weeks before the November 29 vote; polls suggest the PP and Vox could win a combined majority. Voting Rights: The Supreme Court upheld restrictions barring some citizens who gained nationality under the “grandchildren’s law” from voting, though descendants able to prove an ancestor’s exile are exempt. Migration: Police cleared Ceuta’s last major migrant camp ahead of King Felipe and Queen Letizia’s visit, as Vox leader Santiago Abascal called for immediate repatriations and the crisis sharpens election divisions. Housing Protests: Housing remains a central campaign issue after the eviction of pensioner Maricarmen Abascal sparked nationwide demonstrations; unions have called a general strike for November 11.

Election Campaign: Spain’s Nov. 29 snap vote is taking shape around housing, immigration and national identity. Polls put the PP ahead of Sánchez’s PSOE, with Vox potentially holding the balance of power. The October 12 national celebrations are also becoming a campaign stage, highlighting divisions over patriotism and territorial unity. Housing Crisis: Protests have grown after Maricarmen Abascal, 87, died following her eviction. Unions are calling a nationwide strike for November 11, while Sánchez is reviving rent-control measures and making housing a central election pledge. Ceuta and Morocco: Police cleared the last major migrant camp in Ceuta ahead of King Felipe VI’s visit, after July’s mass border crossing. Morocco says its migration partnership with Spain has reached its limits, while the PP is attacking Sánchez’s handling of the crisis.

Snap Election: Pedro Sánchez has launched the campaign for Spain’s November 29 election with housing at its centre, promising stronger tenant protections after his government’s housing measures failed in parliament. The death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal after her eviction has fuelled protests, and unions have called a nationwide strike for November 11. Political Fight: The PP is pitching itself as a force for “national reconstruction” and attacking Sánchez, while Vox is making migration and the Ceuta crisis central to its campaign. Ceuta Tensions: Police cleared the last major migrant camp ahead of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia’s visit, moving residents to reception centres; migrants have alleged abuse by Spanish soldiers, and prosecutors are investigating. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI says the migration cooperation model with Spain is outdated.

Snap Election: Pedro Sánchez has put housing at the centre of his campaign for Spain’s November 29 election, hoping to turn the affordability crisis into an advantage after his government lost a vote on housing decrees. Polls put the conservative PP and far-right Vox ahead. Housing Protests: Demonstrations have grown since Maricarmen Abascal, 87, died after being evicted from her Madrid home. Unions have called a nationwide strike for November 11; Sánchez’s government has revived rent measures and announced interest-free loans for first-time buyers. Barcelona’s council has also backed a proposal to raise property taxes on tourist flats by up to 150%. Party Politics: Sumar’s partners have chosen “Frente Amplio” as their new electoral brand, pitching unity as the left prepares for the vote. Foreign Policy: Spain and Greece are resisting pressure to transfer Patriot missiles nearing expiry to Ukraine.

Election Campaign: Pedro Sánchez launched his campaign in Andalusia, promising to carry forward the housing cause of Maricarmen Abascal, whose eviction and death have fuelled protests. The November 29 vote is shaping up as a test of his government, with polls favouring the PP and Vox; unions have called a housing-focused general strike for November 11. New Party: Lawyer Miriam González Durántez launched Democracy21, pitching it as a centrist alternative to Spain’s polarised blocs and calling for EU recovery funds to build affordable homes. It plans to stand in Madrid and Barcelona. Housing Crisis: The government faces pressure to address soaring rents and dwindling affordable housing as the campaign gathers pace. Universities: The Supreme Court annulled a decree tightening standards for private and distance-learning universities, ruling that the government had improperly fast-tracked it. The ministry says it will prepare a replacement. Ceuta: Teen migrants remain without adequate shelter in the Spanish enclave, drawing criticism of the government’s slow response. EU Budget: Spain is among the governments warning against cuts to EU farm subsidies and regional-development funds in Ireland’s proposed €141 billion reduction to the bloc’s next budget.

Snap Election: Spain’s November 29 vote is shaping up as a referendum on housing. After Parliament rejected its tenant protections, Pedro Sánchez called an early election and has since revived housing measures. Polls put the conservative People’s Party ahead, with the PP and far-right Vox potentially winning a majority. Housing Protests: The death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal after her eviction has intensified nationwide anger; unions have called a general strike for November 11. Public Appointments: PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo is proposing professional qualifications play a bigger role in appointments to public bodies, including the CIS and statistics agency INE. Ceuta: Spain’s slow response to thousands of unaccompanied teenage migrants is drawing criticism, while Morocco’s king says the migration cooperation model with Spain has reached its limits.

Housing Crisis: Maricarmen Abascal’s death after eviction has intensified protests and put housing at the heart of Spain’s Nov. 29 snap election. Thousands marched in Madrid, while Sánchez’s government is reviving rent protections after parliament blocked its housing measures. Election Battle: The PP promises to build one million homes and says more than 300,000 rentals have left the market—figures challenged by the government. A poll suggests Podemos and other left-wing forces could nearly double their seats by running together, but still projects a PP–Vox majority. Strike Pressure: Unions have called a nationwide housing strike for Nov. 11, just weeks before the vote. Catalan Politics: The Supreme Court has revoked the arrest warrant for separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, clearing the way for his return to Spain.

Housing Crisis: Maricarmen Abascal’s death after her eviction has brought thousands into the streets and intensified pressure on Spain’s parties ahead of the November 29 snap election. Unions have called a nationwide strike for November 11 over housing costs and wages. Election Stakes: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government has revived rent measures after Parliament rejected them, including a 2% cap on some rent increases and extensions of expiring leases; the measures still need parliamentary ratification. Left-Wing Alliances: Parties face a tight deadline to unite on election lists, while Podemos weighs its own candidates. ERC is also unsettled, with several lawmakers stepping aside and spokesperson Gabriel Rufián yet to confirm he will run again. European Policy: Spanish Socialist MEPs are seeking tougher “Made in Europe” rules, including conditions on foreign investment in strategic industries to protect local jobs and production.