The office of Javier Fernández, head of the Cantabrian government’s environmental department, offers a spectacular view across the bay of Santander and the rolling sea beyond. As he points it out, he proudly makes a broader point about Cantabria: it may be one of Spain’s smallest regions, but its countryside is unusually dramatic, ranging from a ragged coastline and unique rock formations explored by cavers, to snow-capped mountains prized by climbers. “This region has special values, both in terms of the landscape and the environment,” he says. Fernández explains that those natural values are what drove the region’s government to propose a law making the region Spain’s first to … [Read more...] about Fracking gives Spain another headache over regional autonomy
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Spain still wrestles with immigration
Last month saw the release of the film Alacrán enamorado, the story of promising boxer Julián and his group of heavily-tattooed, neo-nazi friends, who spend their days in the ring and their nights beating up immigrants and members of ethnic minorities. Despite some strong performances, instead of tackling the complexity of the subject full on, this adaptation of Carlos Bardem's third novel is ultimately a superficial story of love and triumph against the odds. All of which is a shame, as Alacrán enamorado raises some potentially interesting questions regarding race relations in Spain. Figures published by the Spanish Institute for National Statistics reveal that immigration has risen … [Read more...] about Spain still wrestles with immigration
Tales for Tapas: On the move
Germany’s employment minister, Ursula von der Leyen, was in Madrid this week to meet her Spanish counterpart, Fatima Báñez. The two ministers unveiled a scheme that could see as many as 5,000 young Spanish workers annually filling apprenticeships in Germany. Not a magic bullet for the problem of mass unemployment, but a positive gesture no doubt from Europe’s prosperous north. Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Ana Pastor was in Brazil, where she suggested the Brazilian economy might benefit from the expertise of Spanish engineers unable to find work at home. Spain is Brazil’s largest investor after the US, and Spanish exports to the country were worth €2.82 billion in 2012, a figure … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: On the move
‘Twilight…’
15-M, or los indignados, are two years old this month and in the last few days I’ve been to two very different events marking that anniversary which give an idea as to where the movement is going. The first was a demonstration on May 12 in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol. I’ve given up trying to work out how many people are at such protests, as has the media in many cases, because the versions given by the authorities and those taking part are so utterly contradictory. But while there was an impressive turnout, there were fewer people than on the corresponding date last year – and nothing like the number that turned out in May 2011. The second was a comic opera. Solfónica, an orchestra made up … [Read more...] about ‘Twilight…’
Spain has melted Mourinho’s aura of invincibility
On a recent visit to Setúbal, near Lisbon, I noticed some massive billboards at the side of the road for an exhibition marking half a century on earth of the town’s most famous son. José Mourinho – 50 anos, documents the meteoric career of The Special One, through photographs of his many professional triumphs, with a few personal moments thrown in. It was a reminder of how revered he remains in Portugal - perhaps the country’s most famed living son, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. But on arriving back in Madrid, I realised how differently the Portuguese and Spanish regard him. In his adopted country, his reputation has been on a steady slide for much of the three seasons he has spent here, … [Read more...] about Spain has melted Mourinho’s aura of invincibility
Tales for Tapas: Irrational exuberance
Spanish government borrowing costs continued to moderate this week, the latest consumer price index figures showed a downward trend without being full-on deflationary, and the country posted a trade surplus of around €600 million, prompting a practically giddy reaction from Economy Minister Luis de Guindos. Mr De Guindos cited the trade figures as evidence of “the economy’s transformation”. There are three ways to look at this. The first is that the economy minister is a sentimental sort of fellow whose exuberance errs a tad on the side of irrationality. The second is that there has been a transformation but – ask any of the six million unemployed – not a positive one. And the … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Irrational exuberance
Catalonia is close to independence, despite Madrid
I represent the pro-independence Catalan Republican Left in Spain's Congress. Part of my job, therefore, is trying to explain and sustain our quest for social justice and for Catalan Freedom in the Spanish Parliament. It is not an easy job, not only because the two main Spanish parties are against such ideas, but also because they oppose the notion of self-determination itself. In contrast to the Scottish/British scenario, the Catalan/Spanish issue could seem in deadlock, since Madrid does not allow Catalans to vote on their future. There have been a number of proposals for holding a referendum among citizens living in Catalonia to ask the people about independence in a future Catalan … [Read more...] about Catalonia is close to independence, despite Madrid
La Liga: Atlético seek to make most of Real Madrid’s civil war
It has been 14 years since Atlético Madrid last took the scalp of their neighbours. Their inferiority complex has lasted since 1999, and on Friday the cross-town rivals meet in the Copa del Rey final. At times during that period, Los Rojiblancos have played better than Real Madrid but still the latter have taken victory. The occasional draw is about as close as Atlético have come to breaking the jinx and despite renewed optimism earlier this season when Diego Simeone’s men were in fine form, they lost again. Twice, in fact: the latest la liga game between the two at the Vicente Calderón just over two weeks ago saw a second-string Madrid side who were without Cristiano Ronaldo win … [Read more...] about La Liga: Atlético seek to make most of Real Madrid’s civil war
A protest song in the bank queue
Activists perform inside the branch of the lender Bankia in Tirso de Molina, Madrid on May 9, 2013. The action was part of a nationwide protest in and near Bankia offices across Spain, as part of the second anniversary of the 15M, or indignados, movement. The protesters object to the massive state aid Bankia and other banks have received, its allegedly fraudulent management by former IMF managing director Rodrigo Rato and the continued eviction of many of its clients who are unable to keep up mortgage payments due to the economic crisis. … [Read more...] about A protest song in the bank queue
Spain’s Socialists are desperate for new blood
Close to 18 months after its catastrophic general election defeat, the Socialist Party remains further away from power than ever. Opinion polls have it trailing behind a Popular Party that has pushed through unprecedented austerity measures that only seem to deepen the recession, while Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who has broken every electoral pledge he made, now admits that there will be no improvement in the economy until at least 2016. Unemployment continues to rise, and the health and education systems are being dismantled before our eyes. And that’s without going into the Bárcenas corruption allegations. The ideal conditions, surely, for the Socialist Party to launch a sustained … [Read more...] about Spain’s Socialists are desperate for new blood