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.

It is still unknown what role Yolanda Díaz will play in the upcoming state elections. It is clear, however, that after relinquishing her leadership of the left wing of the PSOE, she will leave behind a legacy of seven years at the head of the Ministry of Labor, if the general elections are held in 2027. A union source closely involved with the government does not hesitate to describe the agenda of reforms and measures promoted by her ministry as a "turning point" in 2021.

Yolanda Díaz has renounced leading the space to the left of the PSOE without a clear successor. After the internal tensions generated by Sumar's personalism in 2023, the strategy for the elections scheduled for 2027 has been turned upside down. The priority is now alliances between parties, and ultimately, the name of the list leader will emerge. For now, Comuns, Més Madrid, Esquerra Unida, and Moviment Sumar have announced they will run in a coalition –without yet specifying how and with whom– with the aim of attracting other formations such as Podem, Compromís, Chunta Aragonesista, or Més per Mallorca. Díaz's step asideclears the way for new leaderships to emerge in a project presented as more of a collective effort. Who could replace her?

It was an open secret, and all that was missing was a date: this Wednesday, right after participating in the parliamentary question time for the Spanish government, was the day Yolanda Díaz chose to announce that she will not be a candidate in the general elections again. She will remain as Second Vice President of the Spanish government and Minister of Labor, but will no longer have a leading role in a national left-wing coalition, which has only now begun to show the results of months of negotiations. In a letter published on her social media, Díaz emphasizes that "the political space that Sumar created remains strong" and also highlights "ambitious" proposals. like the one Gabriel Rufián defends to broaden this space to include left-wing nationalist and pro-independence parties. Before making the letter public, Díaz had already announced her decision.

Julio Iglesias has decided to take Yolanda Díaz to court. The lawsuit, filed with the support of lawyer José Antonio Choclán, requests a conciliation hearing in which Díaz "acknowledges the damage caused" and retracts the statements she made both on social media and in the press. The Spanish vice president condemned on TVE thesexual assaults for which the singer is being investigated And she called for "decisive action": she expressed her support for withdrawing Iglesias' medals because she asserted that his behavior "requires exemplary action." "Criminal responsibility is one thing, and ethical responsibility is another," she explained, adding that the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, would soon make a decision regarding the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts. Yolanda Díaz, for her part, reacted to the singer's lawsuit through BlueSky and declared: "With or without lawsuits, women will no longer be silent." "I defend working women against anyone who violates their integrity and their rights, and I will not stop doing so," the Vice President asserted.

Before launching Sumar in 2023, Yolanda Díaz repeatedly emphasized that the project she wanted to lead wasn't about party labels or personalities, but rather a citizens' platform where political parties would play a secondary role, avoiding the partisan battles that have often characterized the left. In fact, the current Second Vice President of the Spanish government and Minister of Labor embarked on a nationwide tour—what she called a "listening process"—to present and connect her project with the public. Nothing went as planned: from the outset, Sumar became a platform centered around Yolanda Díaz, and the conflict with Podemos dominated the negotiations to form what ultimately became a traditional electoral coalition. Now, many of the key figures from Sumar three years ago have set out to revive a joint project—under the provisional title of Un Pas Endavant—and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Is it possible?

The debate about unity to the left of the PSOE has resurfaced strongly in recent days. Gabriel Rufián's call on Wednesday not to split the progressive vote The prospect of running together again in the upcoming general elections resonated this Saturday at another event in Madrid. Comunes, Más Madrid, Izquierda Unida, and Movimiento Sumar staged a demonstration that they will once again contest the elections scheduled for 2027, amid heightened anticipation. because of the Republican's proposalWhile these groups' approach differs from that of the ERC spokesperson in Congress, and there are no realistic expectations of bringing the pro-independence parties on board, the new electoral coalition—still in its very early stages—has emphasized the need to be as many actors as possible within a single candidacy. "We won't close the door to anyone," they stated. This appeal does reflect a desire—currently a pipe dream after the traumatic split at the beginning of the legislature—to attract Podemos. They have also included other parties with which they have previously joined forces, such as Compromís and Més per Mallorca. the Aragonese UnionOf these, only the Valencia fans attended the presentation, in which Yolanda Díaz was notably absent.

Before 500 people in a hall that two hours later would host a jazz concert, Gabriel Rufián posed a question: "What's the point of fourteen left-wing parties representing the same thing running in the same place, competing for positions?" After many days of speculation and discussions, the ERC spokesperson in Congress has outlined his proposal to form a united left-wing front for the upcoming general elections. His roadmap consists of establishing "three or four common programmatic points" for the left and having the parties run province by province. "Each one in their own home, and antifascism, the right to self-determination, and the improvement of living conditions, in everyone's home," he declared solemnly. He also opened the door to forming a joint parliamentary group in Congress. This took place at an event in the Galileo Galilei Hall in Madrid, where he was accompanied by Emilio Delgado, a regional deputy from Más Madrid.

Only bad faith or utter ignorance could give credence to Vox and its proposal to ban the burka and niqab in public spaces. They speak of "our culture" as if theirs were everyone's. Their stale patriotism, their Francoist nostalgia, their radical misogyny, and their freedom-crushing attitude are certainly not "our culture." But what's surprising isn't Vox's racism, but the ineptitude of a left wing that doesn't seem to see these things coming, and out of laziness, mediocrity, or cowardice, allows certain thorny issues to fester until they erupt in controversies like the one we're seeing these days.

After the internal booing within the Spanish government Amidst the PSOE-Sumar coalition government's push for tax breaks for landlords, Pedro Sánchez's administration is seeking a balance in its initial tax proposal to try and resolve the dispute. Specifically, the Socialist-led Ministries of Housing and Finance are exploring a formula that combines incentives for landlords who offer a rent reduction when a lease is up for renewal, and penalties for those who raise it, as announced this Friday. The Country Sources within the Ministry of Housing confirm this to ARA. However, the proposal is still in its very early stages, and Sumar, the minority partner, is not convinced. Sources from the party led by Yolanda Díaz confirm that the Socialist wing has put the proposal on the table—negotiations have been ongoing for some time—but insist that tax measures cannot be the only solution for controlling rental prices.

Collective bargaining is the forum where representatives of workers and companies meet to negotiate all aspects of working conditions, from wages and holidays to working hours. These agreements are formalized through collective bargaining agreements, a mechanism that, ironically, experienced a 16.89% drop in Catalonia last year. The employers' association Foment del Treball has indicated that in 2025, a total of 310 agreements were registered in the Principality, affecting 611,698 employees and 64,153 companies. This data is included in its latest report. Labor market and collective bargaining report, which was published this Thursday.

The Ministry of Labor and the UGT and CCOO unions, but not the employers' associations, have agreed this Thursday to raise the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI). 1,221 euros gross in 14 paymentsThis represents a 3.1% increase compared to 2025. It's a rise of 37 euros per month, as announced by the Secretary of State for Labor, Joaquín Pérez Rey. The Council of Ministers will soon approve the salary increase, which will be retroactive to January 1st of this year. The employers' associations CEOE and Cepyme have distanced themselves from the agreement and rejected the increase, as anticipated in the statement released Thursday morning, in which they labeled the tax deduction in corporate income tax for the companies most affected by the pay increase as "deceptive" and "interventionist." According to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor and the unions agree that this salary level will remain exempt from personal income tax.

The left wing of the PSOE has long been engaged in a renewal process. Sumar, the citizens' movement launched by Yolanda Díaz in April 2023, hastily transformed into an electoral coalition for the June 23rd general election, aiming to unite progressives across Spain. However, nearly three years later, it has lost its initial momentum. Since its initial unity, the Sumar alliance has suffered an irreparable split with Podemos; the defection of part of Compromís; three electoral defeats in Galicia, the Basque Country, and the European elections; and has produced a diverse range of positions on key issues without achieving the desired appeal. Nevertheless, the left is not throwing in the towel and has joined forces to revitalize itself. For months, with particular emphasis in recent weeks, the Sumar Movement, United Left, Más Madrid, and Comunes—the four parties with representation in the cabinet—have been holding talks to carry out a necessary comprehensive update to the alliance in preparation for the upcoming general elections. However, the new horizon is emerging after Podemos has separated from him and Compromís has distanced itself from him, without a defined leadership and with deep doubts about the role that Yolanda Díaz should have.

The food delivery platform Uber Eats announced this Thursday that it will "stop collaborating with self-employed delivery drivers," four years after the law was passed. rider. "Uber Eats reaffirms its commitment to compliance with the law rider“After four years of gaining experience working with logistics experts, and to foster a sustainable long-term model, we have decided to discontinue our partnership with independent delivery drivers,” company sources stated. The California-based company also clarified that drivers still using the Uber Eats app as independent contractors will be able to continue working with the firm. This decision comes after the Ministry of Labor threatened criminal charges for non-compliance with regulations. had recently posted several announcements on the platformUber Eats, which is finally following in Glovo's footsteps, changed its operating model last summer and stopped using bogus self-employed workers. Last month, the Catalan government also urged the Public Prosecutor's Office to investigate whether Uber was committing a crime against its delivery drivers. Since 2022, Uber Eats had operated with a hybrid model, in which drivers could choose between being self-employed or salaried employees through the external fleets that subcontracted them. In 2025 alone, more than 7,000 drivers were hired by one of these subcontractors, the company noted on Thursday. "We express our commitment to fulfilling our obligations, as well as our intention to end all pending litigation, and we are available to drivers, unions, and the government to guarantee a fair process for everyone," according to sources at Uber Eats.

The scandal of the sexual assault allegations against Julio Iglesias, already investigated by the Prosecutor's Office of the National CourtThe revelations have shaken state politics. Reactions to the published information have ranged from the absolute condemnation by Sumar—which is already demanding the removal of the singer's medals—to the defense of Iglesias by the most conservative wing of the PP, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso. But for the Popular Party, it is an uncomfortable issue, and the position is not unanimous. The party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has supported the ongoing investigations: "The allegations are very serious," he acknowledged on Telecinco. Feijóo thus distanced himself from the Madrid president, who on Tuesday, in a tweet, downplayed the allegations of Iglesias's former employees—"The raped women are in Iran," she wrote—and said that the Community of Madrid "will never contribute to the discrediting [...] The leader of his own party, on the contrary, confessed to being "very, very surprised" by the information revealed by Eldiario.es and Univision News and has supported the ongoing investigations: he said that "it is important to know if this [the assaults and abuses] is true."

The Ministry of Labor has proposed a 3.1% increase in the national minimum wage (SMI) to social partners for 2026, maintaining this reference salary exempt from taxation. This would raise it from €1,184 to €1,221 gross per month, paid in 14 installments (an increase of €37). The Spanish employers' association and the major unions CCOO and UGT agreed to study the proposal, as explained at a press conference this Wednesday by the Secretary of State for Employment, Joaquín Pérez Rey, following the meeting between social partners to try to reach an agreement. The positions of the employers' and workers' representatives were quite far apart, as is usual when it comes to increasing the SMI. The unions wanted a 7.5% increase up to 1,273 euros per month, The employers' association CEOE lowered that figure to 1.5%.For its part, the committee of experts that advises the Spanish government In this matter, he proposed raising it by 37 euros per month (1,221 euros per month in 14 payments) by 2026 if it remained tax-exempt, or by 56 euros per month (up to 1,240 euros) if it were subject to income tax. Ultimately, the first option was chosen. Despite the disagreements between the different positions, after this latest meeting, Pérez Rey asserted that the dialogue between both parties was "sincere and very constructive." However, for now, neither unions nor employers have left the meeting with a yes or no to this proposal from the ministry led by Yolanda Díaz. The high-ranking official from the Ministry of Labor also expressed openness to "exploring" with the Treasury the possibility of "relaxing" the indexation rules related to the impact on public sector salaries. This was a recurring complaint from the employers' associations CEOE and Cepyme, who criticize the fact that with the latest increases in the minimum wage, it was necessary to update the bids in order to pass on this increase in labor costs to the administration, since they claim that this reduces the profitability of companies. The unions have also supported this review of prices in public contracts in line with any regulatory changes that may be approved, as outlined in the latest National Collective Bargaining Agreement (Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining, the state framework that serves as a guide in collective bargaining) approved in 2023. The Deputy Minister of Labor stated that it makes perfect sense that increases in the Minimum Wage (SMI) cannot be passed on to what companies charge the government for their services and mentioned sectors such as cleaning and private security, jobs with low wages closer to the minimum wage that have seen salary increases in recent years. "It's a matter of fairness," said the Deputy Minister. He also noted that the new European directive on minimum wages—which the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) almost fully endorsed last November—already requires member states to incorporate it. [BK_SLT_LNA~ Exempt from Personal Income Tax]

Regarding the exemption of the minimum wage from income tax, Pérez Rey explained that this position was agreed upon with the Ministry of Finance, which will be responsible for the technical implementation of this measure. However, the Ministry of Labor is confident that the "2025 approach" will be followed and the tax relief will be presented in terms similar to those agreed upon last year. "The minimum wage cannot lose even a tenth of a percent of its purchasing power; those who earn it should not be the ones who pay taxes. Tax justice begins with those who have the most, not those who have the least," Pérez Rey emphasized. The Spanish minimum wage has been one of the flagship measures of the Spanish coalition government—first with the PSOE and Podemos, and now with the Socialists and Sumar—which has increased it by 61% since taking office. "It is the main antidote to inequality. This is an increase that makes the difference between decent wages and those that are not," the Secretary of State for Labor asserted. Following the meeting, Fernando Luján, Deputy General Secretary for Trade Union Policy at UGT, and Javier Pacheco, Secretary for Trade Union Action at CCOO, described Wednesday's meeting as "positive" and welcomed the Spanish government's willingness to relax the law on the de-indexation of public contracts. Pacheco noted that although their proposed increase to the minimum wage for 2026 was 7.5 percent, the union "will not obstruct" reaching an agreement that guarantees this benchmark will reach 60 percent of the average net Spanish salary. He also celebrated that the increase is above the projected inflation rate of 2.8 percent for 2025. "We are living in times that require us all to pull together to provide reassurance," Luján stated.

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The minimum wage, new bereavement and palliative care leave, and the crackdown on Uber Eats. These are the three issues that will shape the agenda of the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, during the first weeks of 2026, at least in labor matters. This comes at a time of great weakness for the Spanish government due to... alleged cases of corruption and sexual and workplace harassment As the pressure mounts on Pedro Sánchez's inner circle, Díaz sees economic and social measures as the opening through which the government can find some breathing room. They also represent a way for the government to define its profile, especially given the upcoming regional elections – beginning with Aragon on February 8th.

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The relationship between the PSOE and Sumar is faltering at one of the most critical moments of the legislature, following the proliferation of alleged corruption and sexual harassment cases that are tarnishing and haunting the Socialists. "This crisis could be the last," acknowledges a member of parliament from Yolanda Díaz's group, who believes that either "changes are made" or the party will enter a "stagnation" in which "there will be no time to react" before the next elections. Sumar, in this sense, continues to demand a "reshuffle" of the government to face the remainder of the legislature, although for now they publicly reject leaving the government. However, there is internal debate, and one of the parties that make up this coalition, United Left, does not rule it out: "All scenarios are open." Sources consulted by ARA explain that there are already voices within this coalition advocating for leaving the government.

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The committee of experts advising the Spanish government on the national minimum wage (SMI) has proposed raising it by 2026 to €37 per month (€1,221 per month in 14 payments) if it is decided that it will remain exempt from income tax, or to €56 per month (to €40 per month) if it is decided that it will remain exempt from income tax, as announced this Thursday. The Country and has been confirmed by ARA. Currently, the minimum wage is set at €1,184 per month, paid in 14 installments.

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The Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday the implementing regulations for Article 11 of the Workers' Statute regarding apprenticeship contracts, as explained at the press conference following the meeting by the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz. One of the main changes this legal amendment entails is that, for the first time, the Spanish government will limit the maximum number of apprenticeship contracts that can exist simultaneously in a workplace. For those with up to 10 employees, the limit will be 3 contracts; for those with between 11 and 30, it will be 7; and for those with between 31 and 50, the maximum will be 10. Companies with more than 50 employees will have a limit of 20% of their total workforce. Díaz explained that this measure—pending since the last labor reform of 2021—aims to guarantee "quality training" and eradicate "abusive practices." This comes shortly after the Spanish government approved it more than two years late. the draft bill of the Scholarship Statutewhich will also require companies to reimburse students' expenses. From now on, apprenticeship contracts will have two modalities: work-study and professional internship. Before the labor reform, there were three.

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