The meeting of numerous political leaders in Barcelona featured, at midday, one of the protagonists to be the leader of the opposition in Spain and the top leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who made a total amendment to the government of Pedro Sánchez and his international alliances, while fully defending NATO, despite the shifts and multiple conflicts initiated by the US President, Donald Trump. He even used the word "traitor" when reviewing Spain's position in Europe: Who was he referring to?

In the war for the digital narrative, the tug-of-war between the Spanish government and the PP has moved to the vertical format. The two main Spanish politicians opened accounts on TikTok almost simultaneously, although the impact they have is quite different. Alberto Núñez Feijóo was the first to land there in September 2025, just two days before the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, did. It is the socialist leader, however, who has gotten the most out of it: Sánchez already has 764,400 followers and over nine million likes. The most striking data from the comparison is that the total number of followers of the popular leader is approximately equivalent to the volume of new users that the Spanish prime minister gains in just one week. A gap that becomes even more evident in the impact of the content: Sánchez's last ten videos have an average of 1.1 million views, thirty-six times more than Feijóo's 31,200.

I start a bit far away, but it's about Trump... Manuel Azaña was the most vilified and hated Spanish political figure by the right during the republican years. He symbolized progressive reforms and anti-clericalism. He was not, by any means, a radical, but they painted him as if he were. As head of government and president, he was the main target of conservative propaganda, which considered him ultimately responsible for the "destruction" of the traditional order, that is, for secular inequality in favor of a few. A few years ago, in a rewriting operation, some fascist ideologues and publicists wanted to appropriate the patriotic Azaña, sidelining the progressivism that his intellectual parents and grandparents had so much denounced. The aim was thus to discredit Zapatero and Sánchez, supposed anti-patriots who sought to resolve the perennial mismatch of Catalonia. Fortunately, the rewriting of history has its limits.

Barcelona as the cradle of resistance against the global far-right wave. With this objective, the PSOE, in coordination with the Socialist International, presided over by Pedro Sánchez himself since 2022, is organizing a transnational conclave of progressive parties and organizations in the Catalan capital on April 17 and 18 to signal that they are standing up to the rise of the far-right. This is the "Global Progressive Mobilisation", which, according to socialist sources consulted, has a will to continue and is not just a one-off political event. In fact, the far-right has also held several global meetings, including one in Madrid where the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, sponsored European leaders" who follow in Donald Trump's footsteps.

In an interview yesterday in La Vanguardia, the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo stated that Pedro Sánchez is delaying the application of the amnesty to Carles Puigdemont. It is not new. Before, Feijóo had already said that Sánchez has deceived Carles Puigdemont with the amnesty law.

Pedro Sánchez continues his particular crusade against the President of the United States, Donald Trump. To the clash over Spain's defense spending, below 5% of GDP, has been added for a month the staunch opposition of the Spanish president to the war in Iran initiated by Americans and Israelis. Sánchez has solemnly intoned the "No to war" and, more casually, has used social media to throw barbs at Trump and his strategy in the Middle East. The latest was this Saturday, when Sánchez posted a video on his Instagram in which he is seen wearing a cap with the message "Make science great again".

The course of events during the last weeks reinforces the idea that we still have a long way to go in the current legislature. It has been some time since the media spotlight has no longer been on negative judicial decisions for the government each day. Furthermore, Sánchez continues to gain traction with his policy of direct criticism of the actions of the United States and Israel, which has led to the burning of the Middle East. The changes in the Council of Ministers have also once again provided the socialists with a respite, with attention focused on Carlos Cuerpo, the new first vice-president, who has become a symbol for his calm and dialoguing nature. It's like saying that another type of political practice, different from what we are used to, is possible.

When Pedro Sánchez dusted off the slogan “No to war”, he knew perfectly well what he was doing. The confusion it has caused in the PP is such that the best response Feijóo's spin doctors could come up with in Wednesday's session was: “No to war and no to you”.

The same morning that her loyal aide from the start of the legislature –María Jesús Montero– handed over the baton to her successor –Carlos Cuerpo–, Pedro Sánchez met with Imanol Pradales to satisfy the demands that the PNB has been making for some time and to inject some oxygen into the legislature through advances in the Gernika Statute. "As you know, the Statute is still not fully complied with. There is a political agreement, and we have insisted on the need to do so quickly," the lehendakari stated upon leaving. The meeting, accompanied by a new meeting of the State-Euskadi Cooperation Bilateral Commission, comes exactly two months after the last meeting and fulfills the requirement to be held before Holy Week. On that occasion, despite having secured the transfer of five powers, Pradales left frustrated with the "non-compliance" of the Spanish government. But now he returns to Bilbao "reasonably satisfied" after having signed a "political agreement" for the transfer of seven new matters. The transfer of pensions, among other things, remains pending. The most significant thing is that the door has been opened for the Basque Country to participate in the management of airports "for the first time in history".

Pedro Sánchez on Thursday bid farewell to his closest and most loyal collaborator since he arrived at Moncloa in June 2018. Since then, María Jesús Montero has continuously held the Finance portfolio, one of the most sensitive in any government, and from there she has climbed positions to become, in December 2023, the first vice-president, i.e., number two in the executive. Undoubtedly, Sánchez is giving up one of the pillars of his government to send her to compete in Andalusia against Juanma Moreno Bonilla, a mission that currently seems impossible. It is true, however, that in politics, this month and a half remaining until the elections is an eternity.

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, will appear this Thursday from 6 p.m. in an institutional declaration to explain the government changes. With the call for elections in Andalusia on May 17, the Minister of Finance and First Vice-President, María Jesús Montero, leaves her portfolio and goes as a PSOE candidate. From here, the Spanish president has to explain who takes over Finance and who will carry out the tasks of First Vice-President. So far, sources from Moncloa have ruled out a broad government crisis, always making it clear that the final word lies with Sánchez himself.

With the departure of María Jesús Montero, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has opted to reinforce the political profile of the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, as well as to recruit from outside the Ministry of Finance for the new person in charge of this portfolio. On the one hand, Cuerpo will assume the first vice-presidency. On the other, the reins of public accounts will be held by the Valencian Arcadi España, current Secretary of State for Territorial Policy. The changes were communicated by Sánchez himself this Thursday afternoon in an institutional declaration from Moncloa. The government loses the parity it had until now: there will be 12 male ministers and 10 female ministers.

Early Sunday morning, summer time will return. At 2:00 a.m., clocks will have to be moved forward one hour to 3:00 a.m., a change that means losing an hour of sleep but lengthening the evenings with more sunlight.

This morning something very interesting happened, a new strategic move by Pedro Sánchez in his long and well-known struggle to resist, to resist everything: his collaborators in prison, the indictment of his wife and brother, his party defeated in every election in Extremadura, Aragon, and Castile and León. This morning Sánchez went to Congress to explain the social measures to alleviate the cost of the war in Iran. And he went on the attack. Seeing that Europe is no longer leaving him alone with the "No to war" movement, he said that the 2026 war in Iran is like the 2003 Iraq War, which had disastrous consequences in Iraq, in the world, and on our streets with Islamist terrorism. That if that war was illegal, this one is too. And that the People's Party (PP) was complicit. But to say that Iran is like Iraq, to ​​once again use the trump card of the "No to war" movement of 2003, is déjà vu. And then, Sánchez personalized it with a tremendous attack against José María Aznar. He said that Aznar, in 2003, wanted to feel important, that he supported a war in exchange for ego, for the power to influence George Bush. He recalled that the Madrid bombings were the fault of that war. And he recalled that Aznar shows no remorse. He even went so far as to question his morality.

The beginning of the speech was indicative of what the tone of the debate and the strategy of the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, would be to defend Iran's 'no to war'. A few minutes after taking the podium in Congress, he recited: "There are dates that are not forgotten, that remain marked forever in the collective memory of a country. February 15, 2003 is one. That Saturday, 3 million citizens said no to war", he recalled. In this way, alluding to the citizenry's reaction to the invasion of Iraq twenty years ago, Sánchez contrasted his position with that of the PP government in 2003. "José María Aznar dragged us into a war to feel important and because Bush invited him for a cigar," he stated, guaranteeing that "now Spain will not be an accomplice, not while I am president."

The abilities that Pedro Sánchez's government has to take economic and political measures without the Parliament's consent in emergency cases have now been added, out of necessity, the ability to save in extremis, with similar agility, episodes of internal dissent. The last Council of Ministers has been one of the most memorable of this legislature, due to the curious situation caused by the prior negotiation between the socialist majority of the executive and the minority of Sumar. The formation of Vice-President Yolanda Díaz needed to include its own proposals in the package of aid measures for the sectors most affected by the consequences of the war in Iran. From an ideological perspective, it is logical that Sumar insisted on leaving its mark on the drafting of decisions of this type. But it makes little sense to turn the prologue of a Council of Ministers into an episode that the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, described as "salseig" (gossip), whether as a dance or as a spicy substance in certain dishes. The Solomon-like solution found —approving two decrees instead of one— served to unblock a situation that was more showy than serious.

The ministers from the Sumar coalition refused to begin the meeting until their demands were met: essentially, the inclusion of rental contract extensions in the measures to address the war in Iran. Their two-hour walkout before Friday's cabinet meeting was resolved with the enactment of two decrees, not just one as the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) had intended, to include tax cuts for the most affected sectors. Sumar touted this resolution on Saturday, taking a swipe at their socialist partners. "Without Sumar, there is no government," the movement's coordinator, Lara Hernández, reiterated in a statement without taking questions. A threat to the socialists? The party, still led by Yolanda Díaz, has no intention of leaving the government or jeopardizing the coalition in the face of a potential PP (People's Party)-Vox majority. In fact, Hernández herself emphasized that it is precisely the influence Sumar can wield that makes "being in government worthwhile."

Pedro Sánchez enters the room with purpose, walks confidently with his folder under his arm, greets the cameras – “good morning” – and goes directly to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. A few pats on the back, hearty laughter, and a friendly chat ensue, all to stage a reconciliation afterward. from the clash over the role the German played alongside Donald Trump when he threatened Spain. The scene, which took place on Thursday in Brussels during the European Council meeting, is the clearest example of Sánchez's ease in the international arena. Knowing he is being watched, he feels recognized for his No to war within the European Union. A winner internally – the CIS (Spanish Center for Sociological Research) confirmed this week that the majority of Spaniards are against the attack on Iran – and also externally, because most European countries They have aligned themselves with the Spanish position against the attack by the USA and Israel. Political The thesis was endorsed this very week. First, it was a outsider...and now everyone wants to be by his side, he recounted.

Politics shouldn't be all about pronouncements and grand gestures. Pragmatism is also essential. In short, it's about being practical so that citizens, those governed, feel they aren't being abandoned when times get tough. And this seems to be the path the Spanish government has taken with the package of measures designed to mitigate the effects of the war in the Middle East. The conflict, whose end appears far off, has driven up gas and oil prices and, consequently, the prices of everything related to them, such as fuel and electricity. That's why the measures announced by Pedro Sánchez will amount to around 5 billion euros, far less than the more than 20 billion mobilized in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine—but we are still in the early stages and don't know how long the war might last. The first decree focuses on reducing energy taxes, one of the services most affected by the impact of the Middle East crisis, and one that could have ripple effects throughout the economy. In addition to lowering the VAT on electricity and gas from the current 21% to 10%, as well as on biomass raw materials such as pellets and firewood, the energy production tax, currently at 7%, is temporarily eliminated and reduced from 5.5% to a special rate of 0.5%. Maximum retail prices for butane and propane are also frozen. The VAT on gasoline and diesel is also reduced, which, according to the Prime Minister's office, will result in a savings of approximately 30 cents per liter when filling up. Consumer organizations estimate that the reduction will be around 17 cents for diesel, which has seen the largest price increase. A key point, also included in the decree, is granting the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) new supervisory and sanctioning powers to prevent operators from exploiting the tax cut to increase their profit margins and enrich themselves. This is essential to prevent the tax reduction from benefiting certain companies more than citizens and, therefore, taxpayers.

The war in the Middle East has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, overshadowing the conflict in Ukraine. Against this international backdrop, Pedro Sánchez received Volodymyr Zelensky at the Moncloa Palace on Wednesday and announced €1 billion in bilateral military aid in 2026, part of which will be channeled through the European SAFE loan mechanism. "Spain will not stop looking towards Ukraine. We have not forgotten your suffering. We will continue to stand by your side as a faithful, loyal, and reliable ally," the Spanish president stated. Sánchez emphasized that the Ukrainian president's visit to Spain, his fourth since the start of the war with Russia, has "a very special significance" given that the conflict in Iran "is currently monopolizing everyone's attention." "We will maintain our support [for Ukraine] with the same intensity as from day one," he insisted.