BoT 654

 

Business over Tapas

A digest of this week's Spanish financial, political and social news aimed primarily at Foreign Property Owners:

Prepared by Lenox Napier.  Consultant: José Antonio Sierra

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October 29 2026            Nº 654          

 

Editorial: 

I ghought I'd write a few wofds wigh my fat forffingef on the litgld kehpad that can be found ln my Andflid.

Just to show how aggravating it can be. Indeed, when it comes to writing something on that tiny keyboard that comes with my mobile phone, I’m all thumbs. 

I don’t extend myself much on my android (‘Andflid’) as a rule, beside insulting Maga Republicans on Facebook (and most of them have worse spelling than anything my finger can manage), because of the bother of having to go back a few times to repair my text. The laptop is a far better option if I’m writing an essay – I can see the keys!

Yes, I have spellcheck, which will fix your spelling a treat, but I also like to write in three languages, English, Spanish and Spanglish (and then sometimes in a fourth, Gibberish, when the feeling takes me).

There’s WhatsApp, I suppose, for those text messages, although my younger daughter – when she wants to have a word with me – probably has the answer. Why struggle over a text when you can simply press the record-button and let fly with sixty-seconds worth!

And anyway, even with a few honest mistooks, one can still read the sentence I started this essay with.

After I left school in the UK, I went to an international college in Seville, and took English, Spanish, French, and shorthand/touch typing, so I can more or less manage with a proper QUERTY keyboard.

I have a granddaughter from the United States visiting at present (my late wife was American). To be precise, she was just here with me for a few days, time for her to get over the jetlag and enjoy a Chinese dinner on the beach, and then off she went to Granada to learn Spanish.

I told her – switch the keypad on your cell phone to Spanish. It has all the letters you need for English, plus easy access to accents, the ñ and so on.

Indeed, I said, try not to use English at all (except when sending a message home to your mom, who was born here in Almería and speaks perfect Spanish anyway).

The thing about learning a language is to learn the culture. You can’t amuse a Spaniard talking about baseball, British TV shows or the joys of Yorkshire pudding – go with stuff which is of more interest – whether it’s tinto de verano versus cerveza de barril (personally, I like the belch from a good caña), or should one put onion in a tortilla de patatas, or the best way to prepare a fabada asturiana; plus which is the best Spanish pop group, who will win the elections (and why) or what’s going on in Madrid.

The grammar will come when it’s ready.

Go to the movies, and stick to watching Spanish TV, not Desperate Housewives.

Today I got a lengthy message on WhatsApp from my granddaughter (unlike me, she has functioning opposable thumbs) to say that she is studying hard, takes the bus to class each morning, was at a student’s party last night, and is having fun.

No doubt she will find a nice boyfriend while she’s there (Spanish I hope) and then decide to stay in España forever.

As so many have done before.  

…...

Housing: 

Euronews has: 'Having money is not enough: Why a job no longer guarantees access to housing in Spain’. 

More than 100 residents of Corrales (Huelva) forced to leave their homes after the Sareb (‘the bad bank’) sold them to an investment fund: "What they are doing is threatening us." 

From Idealista here: ‘Spain’s Government promises tougher housing rules if it wins the November election. After Parliament blocked its emergency housing laws, Spain’s Socialist-led government says voters must give it more power to act’. 

Sur in English says: ‘Andalucía housing: almost a fourth of mortgage holders and half of tenants live in poverty after paying their housing costs, even though they have jobs. A report by Oxfam Intermón concludes that the cost of housing in Spain is pushing a further 770,000 people into poverty, bringing the total to three million’. 

Approximately 20.2% of households in Spain live in rented accommodation says Google AI, adding – Homeownership rate: About 73.3% of households live in homes they own, while the remaining percentage includes homes transferred free of charge or other arrangements.  Market breakdown: Most rental properties belong to private individuals rather than corporate landlords or large investment funds. Regional differences: Rental rates are significantly higher in major urban centres and high-demand areas like Madrid and Catalonia compared to rural or smaller provinces.

Compared with the rest of Western Europe, (says GoogleAI), Spain has a distinctly lower percentage of renters, as it remains a deeply rooted nation of homeowners (contrast Germany: 53%, France 39% and UK 36%). Idealista has similar figures (February 2026).

Regardless, it must be a concern for tenants regarding unexpected rises in the rent from the landlord…

From Crónica Balear here: ‘A premises in Sant Antoni de Portmany (Ibiza) containing 70 bunk beds has been discovered by the authorities, where individuals were each charged around 300 euros per month. In addition, four other residences were inspected, each containing about 30 bunk beds and showing "a high level of occupancy."

From Eye on Spain here: ‘How to deal with noisy neighbours in Spain: the law, the rules and what to do’.

…...

Tourism: 

From The i Paper here: ‘Crowded Spain is losing its battle against tourists – and it’s getting angrier. Authorities have brought in taxes, restricted visitor numbers in certain areas, and are using AI tools to measure flows – nothing is stopping the rising numbers’. 

From Sur in English here: ‘Andalucía's challenge at London's WTM: entice British visitors to discover more of the region's hidden gems. The regional minister of tourism's aim is to open up new business opportunities for companies and improve air links’.

…...

Finance: 

elDiario.es reports that ‘Employment reached a new record of 22.8 million workers, while unemployment rose by 95,900 people over the summer’. 

From Diario de Almería here: ‘Almería is the poorest province in Spain, according to the latest study by the INE. The average annual per capita income for residents of Almería is just 12,244 euros, according to the 2024 Atlas of Household Income Distribution’. 

…...

Politics: 

Pedro Sánchez was interviewed at length on La Revuelta, an entertainment show on national TV on Thursday night. A mixture of joke and serious questions from David Broncano and his team. 4.39 million people are said to have seen the show. Will Feijóo dare to be interviewed? The general consensus is – er, not on your nelly. (Video clip of highlights with English subtitles).  The Olive Press here: ‘Pedro Sanchez predicts election victory in record-breaking TV interview as campaign heats up’. 

From Cadena Ser here: ‘Feijóo to open debate on tightening abortion rights and euthanasia if he becomes president. The PP leader states on the program 'Hoy por Hoy' that he will abolish the Ministry of Equality and confirms that he will form a pact with Vox if necessary: ​​"My primary objective is for Sánchez to leave the government."’. 

‘Feijóo opts for hardline figures to compete with Vox. The PP leader has chosen Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo as his number two on the electoral lists, is banking on hardliner Xavier García Albiol to reframe the issue of housing access as a matter of public order and is keeping on Ana Vázquez, known for the pepper spray incident’. elDiario.es has the story. 

From Euronews here: ‘Madrid joins weekend of protests across Europe as thousands rally for better pensions’. 

Riots in Barcelona this past weekend. Who was responsible? ‘Feijóo blames Sánchez’, says elDiario.es here, ‘—without evidence—for the unrest in Barcelona: “They are resisting giving up power, using violence.”’. The riots are (said to be) about housing, education and opportunity. More on the riot organisers from Diario Red here: ‘Who is truly behind the unrest in Barcelona? A TikTok site called Blocus. Operations of this kind pursue a clear objective: to erode public confidence in the State’s ability to maintain law and order, by automatically triggering concerns among the electorate regarding issues such as law and order, the protection of private property, and police effectiveness’. 20Minutos warns of another riot announced by Blocus for Madrid this coming Saturday. So – who is Blocus – or rather, who is behind Blocus? Anarchists, the Russians, kids, lefty protesters, Vox provocateurs? The authorities don’t yet know.  

Vox and the PP have cemented a deal to share voters to seek a majority in the Senate by not presenting independent lists in certain provinces. The PPox Accords. Spain in English notes that ‘The immediate aim is to preserve and expand the right’s majority in the upper house against a joint challenge from the Socialists (PSOE) and their left-wing allies. But PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has also outlined a more ambitious objective: securing the three-fifths majority needed to approve key judicial appointments without socialist support’. To do this, some lists have ‘independent’ candidates on them (i.e., from the partnered party). In Catalonia, at least, the PSOE and Frente Amplio are doing the same trick. 

(From José Sarría Cuevas on Facebook) In an interview on Friday with the Cadena SER network, Alberto Núñez Feijóo laid out some of the "gems" he has in store for his future government (should he manage to form one):

1) Examining whether pensions are “viable.”

2) Reopening the debate on abortion.

3) Raising the minimum wage (SMI) only if businesses give their approval.

4) Eliminating the Ministry of Equality.

5) Repealing the Law on Democratic Memory.

6) Reforming the law on euthanasia.

7) And potentially bringing Vox into the Council of Ministers.

Oh, and he’s no longer considering the idea that the party with the most votes should govern. That talking point he’s been harping on for years—well, he no longer “considers that scenario,” the conservative leader stated. There’s more at elDiario.es here. 

Some of those who have left the Vox party say that Vox is backed by Israeli interests. 

…...

Ceuta: 

(Bombshell!) From Infobae here: ‘The head of operations for the Guardia Civil confirms to the judge that he opened the border fence in Ceuta to allow migrants to pass through, and that the decision was his own. Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Lobo maintains before Judge Tardón that he decided to open the access point to prevent the migrants—who were crowded at the border—from entering the sea; he further asserts that the Government delegate did not provide him with any operational instructions’. 

…...

Europe:

From The Guardian here: ‘Heat killed ‘staggering’ 50,000 people in Europe’s cities this summer, scientists warn. People succumbed to heat at highest rates in Malta, Italy and Hungary, with health issues, loneliness and poverty exacerbating toll’. 

‘Russia identifies Europe as “its primary geopolitical adversary” and sees a solution in far-right parties. An electoral cycle is beginning in the European Union—with elections in Spain, France, Italy, and Poland—where the rise to power of far-right forces could fracture the European Union’s support for Ukraine, which is precisely what the Kremlin is aiming to achieve’. More at elDiario.es here. 

From The Guardian here: ‘Andy Burnham says he wants ‘honest discussion’ about freedom of movement with EU. The Prime Minister is considering different options for new relationship with Brussels ahead of summit in November’. 

(My opinion) The 300,000 Brits resident in Spain, or even the 1,300,000 Brits resident in the EU-27, have no spokesperson, no political clout and no defence if the European far-right decided to give us the boot.

Worse still - the people back in the UK don't like us much either. 

…...

Crime and Punishment: 

In an article at Diario Socialista knocking the integrity of the police, we read: ‘…According to official data, Spain is one of the safest countries in its region in terms of crime. In 2023, the crime rate stood at 50.9 offenses per 1,000 inhabitants—well below the figures for the United Kingdom (79.5), Belgium (74.8), and Germany (60.7). In 2024, the conventional crime rate fell to 41—a historic low—and remained at 40.6 during the first half of 2025. The homicide rate is 0.61 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 1 in the United Kingdom, 1.14 in France, and 6 in the United States…’. 

…...

Media: 

From El País in English here: ‘Pedro Sánchez: ‘These elections can be summed up in a very simple idea: either the past moves forward, or Spain moves forward’. The Spanish prime minister, who is running for re-election on November 29, says he is confident of securing a big enough majority to implement his progressive agenda’. 

From El Plural here: ‘The (far-)right-wing media enters the campaign fray and sets the pace for the PP and Vox. The right-wing media turns the election campaign into a spectacle of confrontation and personal attacks’. We read (as an example) of ‘The latest episode of the TV show Horizonte provided an instruction manual of sorts. Presenter Iker Jiménez and guest Eduardo Inda (OKDiario) made a scandalous appeal for electoral opacity. Rattled by yet another setback for the Partido Popular in the polls, Inda looked directly into the camera and implored Feijóo’s party to keep its true economic intentions under wraps: "What I mean—and I insist on this—is that the PP should keep quiet about pensions. Let them speak on November 30th, December 1st, or January 10th—once they are already in the process of forming a government—but until then, please, let them stay silent."’. There are ten and a half million pensioners (and their families) who could be in the firing line. 

I think we begin to follow the memes over the substance. Here’s The Guardian: ‘Opposition deepfake video of Spanish PM’s wife sparks outrage before election. Video shows AI likenesses of people linked to Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party appearing to admit to wrongdoing. A political ad from Spain’s main opposition party that used a deepfake video of the prime minister’s wife has sparked outrage and set off a wider debate on AI…’. 

From El Huff Post here: ‘The mayoress of La Coruña offers this assessment of Feijóo: "We knew it in Galicia, but now the whole of Spain knows it too. He is a person who lacks any kind of substance," says Inés Rey (PSOE)’. 

These days, we think of Felipe González as being a bit of a handful. It seems he has always been so, according to this well-documented essay from the BiTs rojiverdes. ‘Today’s disreputable figure is yesterday’s monster: the CIA, Nazi money, and the files on Felipe González’s betrayal’. 

‘The Guardian view on the far right’s plans for Brussels: doing the work of Xi, Putin and Trump. If ever enacted, proposals by Marine Le Pen and the AfD leader, Alice Weidel, to hollow out EU institutions would be a continental act of self-harm’. 

There are no left-wing TV channels in Spain – beyond (one might argue) the national channel controlled by the government-of-the-day: RTVE. All the others are conservative, capitalist and critical of the PSOE and its allies. “TeleAyuso” (TeleMadrid) and Canal Sur are two examples of far-right regional broadcasters. Then there are channels that belong to Italian-owned Mediset (Telecinco, el Cuatro and so on) and Atresmedia (Antena3, La Sexta and others). Then there’s the Church’s channel Canal 13 (shows good cowboy films). From November 5th, a new lefty channel arrives: La Séptima. Preparations are underway: ‘Inside La Séptima: a race-against-time preparation for a different kind of television’. 

…...

Various: 

Wednesday: Another terrible train wreck – this time two high-speed trains collide in Toledo with at least 68 people reported dead. The report at El Plural here. La Razón reports that Fátima Báñez – a minister in the Rajoy government – is among the deceased. 

From El País here: ‘Half of Spaniards believe that poor people tend to become complacent and rely on aid rather than seeking solutions. A survey on aporophobia (‘the systematic rejection, aversion, hostility, disgust, and fear directed toward individuals experiencing poverty, economic disadvantage, or perceived social powerlessness’) reveals that 11% associate poverty with laziness or a lack of moral principles’. 

The PP and Vox have partnerships in several regional governments, including Castilla y León, where they have agreed to halt funding and promotion for any cultural event deemed ‘ideological’. 

‘See how Big Tech is transforming Spain's landscape’ says NPR here. Aragón: ‘This drought-stricken region of northeast Spain has become the focus of American companies searching for locations to place their energy- and water-intensive data centres…’ 

From Al Jazeera here: ‘The Muslims finding belonging in southern Spain. Centuries after the end of Islamic rule, some Muslims are choosing Andalucía, drawn by traces of its past’. 

Benidorm puts its foot down on senior motor scooters: No passengers por favor. 

…...

See Spain: 

From Reuters here: ‘Barcelona like a local. Our correspondent's guide to sun-kissed plazas, tapas and beach escapes’. 

…...

Finally: 

A pretty song from Rozalén - Canto de los que Quedan (Canción Original de la Película Arriba Tutto) on YouTube here.