Significant progress this week in resolving the Iberia airlines dispute after the compromise package put forward by government-appointed mediator Gregorio Tudela was accepted by Iberia’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), and by most of the unions. Clearly, a solution is good news for travellers – Iberia’s troubles have had a knock-on effect with major airport disruptions and thousands of flights cancelled during stoppages in February and earlier this month; more strikes had been scheduled in the coming weeks in the absence of a settlement. It will also come as a relief to IAG, which claims to have been losing €3 million for each day of strike action, compounding … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Compromise in the air
spain
La Liga: Simeone’s extended stay lifts Atlético
The week may have ended on a sour note with a loss at the Vicente Calderón, but Atlético Madrid still have reason to smile with news that coach Diego Simeone has extended his contract at the club. Arda Turan, Cristian Rodríguez and Koke all tested their luck in the opening stages against Real Sociedad with long-range strikes from the edge of the area but failed to threaten the visitors’ goal. The hosts improved after the break but eight minutes after the restart, the Basque side took the lead with a swift counterattack that saw Antoine Griezmann pump the ball up the pitch for Xabi Prieto to run on to. The forward – who was in an offside position – ran into the box unchallenged and … [Read more...] about La Liga: Simeone’s extended stay lifts Atlético
Tales for Tapas: Rich and poor
On the same day Venezuela’s charismatic president, Hugo Chávez, died the Dow Jones and Financial Times indices broke records, wiping out the losses of the last five years. As capitalism appeared to recover its old swagger, a hero of the Left passed from the scene. The significance of Chávez’s experiment in “21st century socialism” (as he described it) goes beyond Venezuela. His attempt to harness the market to the needs of the poor emerged from a long and well established tradition in the Spanish-speaking world. The shortcomings of his 14 years in power, however, may have had as much to do with oil as with ideology. Chávez’s achievements – and more schools, more clinics, more amenities … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Rich and poor
Do EU migration trends put Spain’s health and pensions system at risk?
According to The Economist’s Buttonwood, “desperate times require desperate measures”. I am sure this is right, times in Spain are certainly getting desperate and many of the measures being implemented in Brussels, far from being radical look much more like continually closing the door after the horse has bolted. The issue Buttonwood draws our attention to in the blog post accompanying this statement is that of migration trends within the euro area and the impact these have on trend GDP growth and structural budget deficits in the various member countries. This is an important issue indeed, since such movements seem to be an unforeseen and largely unmeasured by-product of the current … [Read more...] about Do EU migration trends put Spain’s health and pensions system at risk?
“Why don’t you shut up?”
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who died on Tuesday at the age of 58, had a tense relationship with Spain. Most notoriously, during the 2007 Ibero-American summit in Chile, he repeatedly interrupted José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, telling him that his predecessor as Spanish prime minister, José María Aznar, was a "fascist" who had backed a 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela. Spain's King Juan Carlos grew increasingly irritated with Chávez's diatribe, eventually saying: "Por qué no te callas?" (Why don't you shut up?). … [Read more...] about “Why don’t you shut up?”
A closer look at the lost generation
On a day when Spain’s unemployment figures have once again broken records, I was drawn to another set of data which may be equally bleak, but which offers a more subtle insight into how the country functions. A poll commissioned by Cadena SER looks at the attitudes of Spaniards aged between 22 and 30, the so-called “lost generation” who, we have been repeatedly told, can’t find a job, can’t buy a house and hate their politicians. All of that is confirmed in this study, but a breakdown of the figures makes for fascinating reading. The most shocking finding for me was that only 38 percent of young people live exclusively off their own revenue; 21 percent survive with the help of family … [Read more...] about A closer look at the lost generation
Tales for Tapas: Catch of the day
With anti-austerity demonstrations, a song for Europe, a pair of Barcelona-Real Madrid encounters, and scandals (royal and otherwise) bubbling along – some people may not have been paying attention to Tuesday’s meeting of the European Union’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council. But when El Sueno de Morfeo have made Eurovision history (or not), when Cristiano and Leo have hung up their boots, and when harmony has returned to Spanish politics, the outcome of the Fisheries Council’s deliberations in Brussels will still be having a profound impact on dinner tables in Spain and beyond. Among the issues discussed at the meeting was the introduction of a ban on throwing unwanted fish caught by … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Catch of the day
Another crisis for Spain’s Socialists
When Artur Mas embarked on his separatist bid for Catalonia last autumn, even he can barely have foreseen the repercussions it would have. The intransigent response in Madrid was predictable enough, but his CiU coalition’s loss of a dozen seats in a snap regional election was less so. And now another effect is being felt as Spain’s Socialists struggle to avoid a damaging schism between the national base in Madrid, the PSOE, and the PSC, the Catalan wing of the party in Barcelona. For 35 years, they have co-existed, not quite as the same party, but as something very close to it. Catalonia has been a stronghold for the Socialists in the democratic era and therefore the PSC has been a … [Read more...] about Another crisis for Spain’s Socialists
Expats seize the day amid Spain’s property market uncertainty
With so much uncertainty in the Spanish property market, buyers are unsure whether property prices reflect what is really happening or whether it is a case of political propaganda putting on a good face, forum gossip from disgruntled boom buyers, or simply optimistic price-setting amongst hopeful sellers. The picture is further confused by demand factors and international interests that create differing influences in each of the local property markets across the country. What is happening in Barcelona, Ibiza or the Costa Brava, for example, may not be what is happening in Madrid or Marbella. Expat influences in property also differ from the demands and influences of local buyers. “The … [Read more...] about Expats seize the day amid Spain’s property market uncertainty
La Liga: Wins give Real Madrid and Barça belief ahead of clásico
More often than not it comes down to this. In a league dominated by the ‘Big Two’ of Real Madrid and Barcelona, when the business end of the season arrives, it’s the arch-rival that stands in the way. They are familiar foes and yet the rivalry does not dim, does not lose its edge, it only seems to get bigger and more meaningful, with more riding on their meetings every season. This week there will be two Clásicos in the space of five days, the first tonight, is the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Camp Nou, while the other, on Saturday, is a league fixture to be played at the Bernabéu. Real Madrid will most likely be conceding their league title to the Catalans come … [Read more...] about La Liga: Wins give Real Madrid and Barça belief ahead of clásico