Sánchez is currently facing resistance from political parties to increasing military spending.

Madrid"I think he only trusts the PNV!" joked sources close to Aitor Esteban once the meeting with the new president had ended. nationalist held this Thursday with Pedro Sánchez. The Spanish Prime Minister has encountered opposition from some and skepticism from others regarding his intention to increase defense spending, following a round of contacts with the political groups in Congress, to whom the head of the executive sought to convey the debate dominating European politics. This is not usually a matter that defines the direction of the parties in the State, but the arrival of Donald Trump and the possible truce in Ukraine require the formation of a profound opinion. ERC spokesperson Gabriel Rufián assumed that the time has come to "be responsible and go beyond the banner of 'No to war'."

Geopolitical uncertainty and the decisions still pending in the European Union have prevented Sánchez from offering detailed information to parliamentary spokespersons, who initially show resistance to the Brussels rearmament plan. In this context, the leader of the People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, described it as "very difficult" for the two major parties in Spain to reach an agreement on an issue on which their positions are not too far apart. Without going any further, conservatives and social democrats have agreed on this issue in the European Parliament. "Are we ready for dialogue? Yes, as long as it shows genuine willingness and respect for the PP. So far, the government has shown neither," Feijóo added. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares lamented that the PP is opting for an "opposition of attrition" rather than a "state opposition."

NATO criteria

"I asked him: 'What percentage of GDP should defense spending reach? What increase should the current budget have? Within what timeframe is it necessary to obtain the budget? How will it be implemented year by year and how will it be financed? More taxes or a readjustment of current spending?' And he didn't specify anything," Feijóo explained after meeting with the Spanish president, the only face-to-face meeting they have held at the Moncloa Palace in almost a year and a half. Sánchez, who did not want to confront the PP president—"The dialogue has been correct and cordial," he said—has sought to be pedagogical when explaining that it remains to be seen what percentage of GDP was allocated to defense in 2024 according to the criteria established by NATO and from 2 to 2, from 2 to 2.

The Spanish government's already stated objective is to avoid having to make a heavy investment in what is traditionally understood as the military sphere, but rather to try to convince the Atlantic Alliance that it is making efforts in certain areas such as cybersecurity and terrorism that should be counted as defense spending. "The threats are different from one place to another," said Sánchez, to imply that the threats posed by countries bordering Russia are not the same as those to the south. If at the NATO summit in June in The Hague he manages to convince the partners of this conception, the budget will be more flexible going forward. in defense This would automatically lead to a leap forward and prevent Spain from having to invest more in weapons. In fact, Sánchez stated that this presents itself as an "opportunity" to boost the industry. This was also pointed out by sources from the PNV (Basque Nationalist Party), who highlighted the investment that could be made in dual-use technologies (civil and military) taking advantage of this context, taking into account that in Guipúzcoa there are SAPA, which holds 8% of Indra's shares, two important companies linked to the defense sector.

From Junts, its spokesperson, Míriam Nogueras, has conditioned her support for Sánchez on the arrival of potential investments in Catalonia. It was the first time the pro-independence leader met with the head of the executive at the Moncloa Palace, as did Mertxe Aizpurua (EH Bildu). As for ERC, Rufián rejected more defense spending, called for "better spending"—the same proposal Sánchez had made—and demanded a "very brief and very thorough explanation of why it is necessary" to increase the budget. He assured the left-wing parties, especially Podemos, that he will not cut "a single cent in social policy" to meet NATO commitments.

Will Congressional approval be necessary?

Another of the big unknowns remaining from the day is whether Sánchez will need the support of Congress. He certainly will for new budgets for 2026, but it would also be necessary if he approves a credit modification. This would not be the case if he made any adjustments to budgets between ministries or used the contingency fund. "There are issues that have to do with legislative action and others with the degree of execution of the executive branch [...] I will count on the support of the legislative branch," Sánchez simply stated, without elaborating. The impression expressed by Feijóo, Rufián, and the BNG spokesperson, Néstor Rego, is that, if possible, the president will try to bypass Congress to increase defense spending.