The controversy is associated with the name of Isabel Díaz Ayuso. In fact, for years she has made this her particular political strategy, but surely her latest trip to Mexico has exceeded all expectations. An official trip that, on the one hand, has called into question the reconciliation process between Spain and the country presided over by Claudia Sheinbaum after years of frozen relations; and on the other hand, has ignited Mexican politics and society to the point where Díaz Ayuso's team decided to leave the official trip ahead of time. This Monday, the president of the Community of Madrid has opted to blame the Spanish and Mexican governments: "We had to disappear. We were in danger".

For a few weeks now, the Government and Esquerra have been negotiating the budgets that derailed in March with discretion. The two parties decided to give themselves a second chance to try to reach an agreement before the summer holidays and, after multiple meetings and working groups, as the ARA has learned, socialists and republicans in Barcelona and Madridhave unblocked two issues that pave the way for the accounts. If part of the Quart Cinturó (by road) was what unblocked the 2022 budgets of Pere Aragonès' Government, the orbital railway axis, a kind of railway Quart Cinturó, is what seems to be getting Salvador Illa's first accounts on track. It is about the railway network to connect the second metropolitan ring without passing through Barcelona.

The election of magistrates to occupy relevant positions in the judiciary is always associated with political battles or, at least, with the tug-of-war between conservatives and progressives. The composition of the General Council of the Judiciary, the Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Court usually makes front-page news, while the election to international bodies often takes a back seat. This is not the case now: there is an open battle over the selection process for the Spanish judge at the European Court of Human Rights. The current judge, the conservative María Elósegui, sees her term end in March 2027, and the process initiated by the Spanish government has generated controversy among candidates: it has been challenged by a member of the CGPJ proposed by Sumar, Carlos Hugo Preciado, and, according to legal sources consulted by this newspaper, he has not been the only one, as other aspirants have also done so or have voiced their intention to do so.

The Ministry of Finance has on the table a bill proposed by non-profit foundations that manage social housing, such as Habitat3 or Provivienda. The entities – grouped under the ALIVAS umbrella – want to create a new legal figure with the aim of expanding this segment of the residential market in Spain, the "social housing providers". According to sources from the Spanish government, they explain to ARA, the intention is for the law to reach Congress "as soon as possible", and for the socialist group to process it because the process is "faster" and has "fewer procedures" if done through parties.

There is a sector in the State that is living a golden age, which is growing without yet having comprehensive regulation and which is increasingly relevant in the decision-making process of governments and Parliaments: public affairs consultancies. A type of bridge between the public and private worlds, which is unknown territory for a good part of the population and which in recent years has been proliferating strongly in Madrid, but also in Barcelona, ​​due to political fragmentation, the ever-increasing complexity of decision-making processes and the rise of economic and geopolitical crises. What do these companies do, however? Is it a professionalized sector? Why is it fertile ground for former politicians? El ARA has X-rayed the main companies established in the State, speaking withpeople from within the sector, professional associations, politicians, and also experts who point to the lack of regulation as the main problem.

The Spanish government and ERC formalized the agreement for a new regional financing in January, with a presentation by the then first vice-president and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, after months of negotiations with the Republicans. The pact was brought before the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy (CPFF), where it was met with a resounding rejection from the regional councilors of the PP. The Spanish government, however, defended the merits of the new model for weeks and explained that it was drafting the law that would allow it to be submitted for debate by the parliamentary groups in Congress. Three months later and with a new minister at the helm, Arcadi España, the regulation has still not been made public, there have been no bilateral meetings with the regional councilors, and it has not yet begun to be processed. The debate has taken a back seat in the public sphere, especially after the falling out between Esquerra and the socialists over the transfer of IRPF collection.

Green light for the regularization of migrants. After the public hearing process and the mandatory reports, the Spanish government approved this Tuesday the royal decree that will serve to regularize the situation of more than half a million people who are already in the State but do not have their rights recognized. "It is an act of coherence and social justice," proclaimed the spokesperson and head of this portfolio, Elma Saiz, this Tuesday. "It is a historic measure and has all the legal guarantees," she added. How will the procedure work, however?

The two majority unions, CCOO and UGT, have shown unity with concrete proposals on dismissals, housing, part-time contracts, and social dialogue and collective bargaining. This Tuesday, the two organizations have presented a joint plan around these matters that provides a boost for union action, especially on the eve of May Day, but which also serves as a "transmission belt" for those concerns affecting workers that, in the opinion of the union organizations, the political agenda marked by tension is not addressing. "We are facing an initiative [union] that has few precedents," indicated the Secretary of Union Action for CCOO, Javier Pacheco, at a press conference.

The picture of a Spain with closed borders to immigration paints a picture of an aging society, but also of significant losses, both in population and in the workforce in essential sectors such as care, education, and healthcare. There would also be an inevitable increase in taxes and even the closure of schools, bars, shops, and farms. This almost dystopian scenario answers the following question: what would Spain be like in 2075 if migration flows were reduced by 30%, following the restrictive policies implemented by almost all members of the European Union?

There was an initial oil crisis. We teach it in all economic history courses. The crisis began in October 1973 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, when Saudi Arabia, leading the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), refused to sell oil to countries that had sided with Israel. OPEC quickly transformed the boycott into price increases. Given the rigidity of global oil demand, OPEC was able to repeat the price increases several times, quadrupling them in just a few months—an impact that spread worldwide and fueled the obscene enrichment of the major exporters.

One of the first consequences of the calling of elections in Andalusia The biggest news has been the departure of María Jesús Montero from the Spanish government. The Vice President and Minister of Finance will have to pack her bags to become the PSOE candidate in the elections, which were announced early this Monday by President Juanma Moreno Bonilla. In her first press conference since the announcement, Montero confirmed this Tuesday that she is beginning "this electoral race" as a candidate and that her departure as minister "will be imminent in the coming days," as she stated on Monday.

Ángel Losada (Bern, Switzerland, 1953) is a Spanish diplomat with a long career behind him. He has been Spain's ambassador to Nigeria, to Kuwait, European Union special envoy to the Sahel and ambassador to Iran. Now retired, he speaks to ARA to analyze the war in the Middle East.

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.

The extraordinary Council of Ministers for the effects of the war is delayed due to the clash between the PSOE and Sumar. According to sources consulted by ARA, they are negotiating 'in extremis' the package to face the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. Although, as this newspaper explained yesterday, tax reductions on VAT for fuels and electricity are included to please Junts, the socialists are resisting including measures related to housing as demanded by Sumar and other left-wing parties. Precisely because both Junts and the PNB have warned them that they will not approve the extension of rent freezes or the suspension of evictions if they put everything in the same decree. "Don't play with it this time," the PNB has warned them this week.

After an unprecedented clash with the Sumar coalition ministers over the emergency plan to combat the war in Iran, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appeared at Moncloa Palace this Friday to explain a new social safety net, which he described as the "largest" in all of Europe. It will have two components: a package of tax cuts on fuel, gas, and electricity, and another decree-law on housing extending rental contracts for up to two years. He stated that there will be a total of 80 measures costing the public coffers 5 billion euros, primarily due to the reduction in the tax burden. "Spain is better prepared than other countries to face the energy shock resulting from Iran's illegal war," he asserted, referring to its strategic commitment to renewable energy. At the same time, Sánchez lamented that no plan, "however ambitious," will be able to "neutralize all the miseries" of the conflict and expressed his "anger at the state of the world."

The opposition from Esquerra Republicana, along with the rejection by the PP, Vox, and UPN, has sunk the law promoted by the PSOE in Congress to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers from 0.5 grams per liter to 0.2. This legislation had been stalled for a year. It is the first time this legislative term that the Republicans have rejected a law promoted by the Spanish government – ​​in the previous term they did so with the labor reform, which passed thanks to a mistake by the PP. The decision comes – precisely – on the same day that the PSC and ERC agreed that the Catalan Government withdraw the Generalitat's budgets To prevent Salvador Illa from suffering a parliamentary setback on Friday, MP Inés Granollers argued during the debate in the lower house's Interior Committee that "this law won't prevent accidents; what it will do is cause a lot of frustration." The Republican MP lamented that the Socialists were "cowards" for establishing a rate around 0.0 and argued that the law was "very cynical" and contained a "false promise." However, the PSOE, Sumar, Junts, Bildu, and the PNV supported it, with 18 votes in favor and 19 against. The ERC's position was that the "best" rate would have been to prohibit drivers from drinking a single drop of alcohol, but not only that. The Republicans also advocated for early retirement for professional drivers—they presented an amendment to this effect—and for reducing the number of hours they can spend behind the wheel. Furthermore, they had long been demanding more driving examiners in Catalonia to end the backlog of waiting lists. In fact, there was a call this morning between ERC and Pere Navarro, the Director General of Traffic, but the conversation was unproductive. "The truth is, we haven't received an adequate response," summarized Inés Granollers.

There was anticipation this Thursday at the Círculo de Economía (Circle of Economy) to hear from the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and spokesperson for the Spanish government, Elma Saiz, as she was to speak on a topic that generates political and demagogic controversy: immigration. This very forum, chaired by Teresa Garcia-Milà, issued an opinion piece a few days ago calling for a moderation of the arrival of immigrants and its alignment with a new economic model based on greater productivity. It also demanded a "genuine immigration policy." Saiz, accustomed to touting the achievements of Pedro Sánchez's government (she even conveniently used this to conclude her statements to journalists before entering with a Not in war), he didn't completely satisfy when questioned.

The diplomatic representation of the State in Israel has been officially downgraded. Six months ago, the Spanish government summoned its ambassador to Tel Aviv, Ana María Salomón, for consultations after a new clash with Benjamin Netanyahu's government, with whom relations became strained following the military offensive on the Gaza Strip. And this Wednesday, Pedro Sánchez's administration formalized her dismissal by publishing it in the "Official State Gazette" (BOE). The departure comes "at the proposal" of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, and after being discussed in Tuesday's Council of Ministers. Now, the Spanish embassy in Israel is headed by a business area chargé d'affaires, according to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leaving the diplomatic representation "at the same level" as Israel's embassy in Madrid.

The Spanish government is determined to approve a plan of measures to address the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, but first wants to consult with the political parties in Congress, whose support it will need, as well as with social partners (major unions and employers' associations). In this way, Moncloa will initiate a "round of talks," in the words of the Spanish government spokesperson, Elma Saiz, with the different political groups to assess what measures can be taken—this will also serve to understand the parties' demands, some of which, like Podemos and the PP, have already been put forward. A distinctive feature of this round, however, will be the inclusion of Vox, which the Pedro Sánchez administration has excluded on other occasions. In fact, it was excluded from the round of talks last January to inform them about the deployment of Spanish troops to Ukraine. Government sources clarify that "it's not the same" because this time it's not about informing them about the Spanish government's position on foreign policy, but about implementing "good measures." Furthermore, it will not be Spanish President Pedro Sánchez who presides over the meetings with the parties, but rather the Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños. Moncloa is seeking the broadest possible consensus to approve a stimulus plan. And that includes the far right, even though Santiago Abascal's party has systematically avoided supporting the Sánchez administration's initiatives. In fact, they are being called upon now when it comes to finding measures to mitigate the effects of the Trump administration's attack on Iran, knowing that Vox is the main ally in Spain of the President of the United States. For the moment, the People's Party (PP), which also maintains its distance from the Socialist Party (PSOE), has reacted with skepticism. The PP's spokesperson in Congress, Ester Muñoz, has refused to participate "in a propaganda campaign to cover up the scandals" of the Socialists, although she has not ruled out a meeting. Bolaños will be responsible for calling and scheduling meetings with the political parties to negotiate and seek their support for the measures. The Spanish government wants to begin these meetings this week, but has not specified whether they will continue beyond this week. Nor has it specified a timeline for when a concrete package of proposals might be ready, although the possibility of an imminent release has diminished in recent days. The government has requested some time to properly assess the economic impact, especially considering the volatility of energy prices. In parallel with these meetings with the political parties, the three vice-presidencies, as well as the Ministry of Social Security, are scheduling meetings with the trade unions CCOO and UGT, and the Spanish employers' association CEOE to also study the potential measures. Specific and structural measures

The Third Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, explained on Tuesday that the plan being considered by the Spanish government will include both short-term measures and structural ones. "It must be an effective response," she asserted. The short-term measures should protect businesses, workers, and families and could include proposals already approved in 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine: for example, fuel subsidies or VAT reductions on food. The structural measures would serve to strengthen strategic autonomy and the energy transition, the minister said, with the aim of being "less exposed" to price volatility. The People's Party (PP) has been demanding tax cuts for days to offset the increase in energy prices, but warns that it will not accept "communist" measures introduced "through the back door." This proposal clashes with the position put forward by Podemos, which has called for an "anti-Trump plan" that includes nationalizing Repsol, creating a public bank, and "expropriating" homes from vulture funds.

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The war in Iran and its ramifications in the Middle East are not only putting pressure on commodity prices like oil and gas, but are already being felt "in the pockets of Spaniards and in their daily lives," as Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo acknowledged this Monday from Brussels. Since the US and Israeli attack on Iran, the Spanish government has been monitoring the impact of the conflict on the Spanish economy and is open to taking measures. "This government will respond," government sources indicate. The current scenario has revived the specter of four years ago, when the Russian attack in Ukraine unleashed an unprecedented energy and inflationary crisis: the price of a MWh... pool Electricity, for example, is breaking all records.

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