🛂 Spain's massive migration move

Also: Julio Iglesias is cleared (at least in Spain) and unemployment hits a (still high) new low.

Madrid | Issue #134

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Spain rolls the dice

🗽 The Sánchez government decreed the largest migrant regularization since, like, ever

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free and eat late.

Out of the blue. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government just announced the largest migrant regularization in modern Spanish history — by decree, without a parliamentary vote, and right when his coalition most needs a win. More on that in a minute.

• What’s the dealio? After its cabinet meeting Tuesday, the government’s spokeswoman Elma Saiz announced that the government had issued a Royal Decree that would allow undocumented/illegal immigrants who had lived in Spain for at least five months as of Dec. 31, 2025, and have no criminal record, to apply for a renewable one-year residency permit. Applications open between April and June. Estimates of the number of irregular immigrants in Spain run from 500,000 to 1m, with the think tank Funcas pegging it at 840,000.

Government all smiles. Saiz called the move “a historic day for our country,” saying it would benefit workers by granting rights and companies by providing legal certainty.

• The church, too, is a big fan. The Catholic Church was a major proponent of a 2021 Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) — a kind of non-binding request for legislation — that collected 700,000 signatures backing a regularization.

• That initiative made it to Congress, but has spent 18 months in turnaround. So for the church, the end-run around Congress (which doesn’t get to vote because of the rules under which it was decreed) was “good news” that helps immigrants “working, participating in schools… and sometimes barely surviving among us,” the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Luis Argüello, told El País.

What a surprise! Yeah, you guessed it, the opposition was not so pleased. Alberto Nunez Feijóo, leader of the center-right PP, which is trying to fight off pressure from the far-right Vox, said Sánchez was using the regularization to distract people from last week’s fatal train disaster and that he would try to stop it because it “violated” Europe’s migration pact. And anyway, “In socialist Spain, illegality is rewarded.”

• And Vox? Well, it went all Great Replacement Theory: “The tyrant Sánchez hates the Spanish people,” party boss Santiago Abascal wrote on X. “He wants to replace them. That’s why he aims to…accelerate the invasion. It must be stopped. Repatriations, deportations, and remigration.” 😱

• International immigration dilettante Elon Musk also weighed in on Spain's regularization. Thaaaanks, Elon.

But this isn’t purely a left-right fight. Spaniards have some of the most positive views on immigration in Europe, and both PSOE- and PP-led governments have approved mass regularizations in the past — nine in total — covering more than 1 million people.

What else is going on here? Coalition politics (and, yes, like Feijóo said, a little distraction).

• The Sánchez government would very much like to talk about almost anything other than the fatal train crashes in Andalucía and Catalonia, which occurred under its watch (Sánchez has been in power since 2018), especially considering the attacks it has received from victims’ families and some political allies.

Let’s keep the family together. Equally as important, pushing through the regularization gives Sánchez the chance to bring some one-time allies back into the fold.

• First, Podemos. The once-important hard left party broke with Sumar, the coalition partner of Sánchez’s PSOE, back in 2023, and has drifted further away ever since. One thing they’ve long wanted? A massive regularization.

• Then, Junts. The right-leaning Catalan separatist party voted to reinstall Sánchez as PM back in 2023, but has since broken with him over promises he made but has not kept. One of those promises? Transferring control over immigration to the Catalan government (which, in theory, would let regional officials control who gets residency in Catalonia, and demand that they learn Catalan to get it).

Chocolate and peanut butter. Sánchez saw a way to fix the two problems by combining them. Reportedly, Sánchez offered Podemos the regularization in exchange for backing Junts’ bid to oversee — and potentially limit — immigration in Catalonia.

• Irony alert. This means the pro-immigration lefties would be helping Junts outflank its rivals on the far-right, the anti-immigrant Catalan separatist party Aliança Catalana, by limiting the arrival of immigrants. So much for open borders.

It’s okay to feel conflicted about all this. It’s possible to support regularization for people who’ve built lives here and still have questions about how this was done.

• Because? Using a generous legal interpretation to avoid a parliamentary vote opens the door to court challenges. Rolling out the largest regularization in contemporary Spanish history could also irritate EU partners. And then there’s the question no one has really answered: why five months? Why not six — or several years — if the goal is to reward commitment?

Thoughts, dear reader?

More news below. 👇👇

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💬 Five things to discuss at dinner parties

1. 😡 Spain honors train crash victims as families slam government

We still don’t have confirmation on what caused the Adamuz rail disaster of Jan. 18, but the leading hypothesis behind it is a failure in the track itself, specifically the fracture of a welded joint just before the Iryo train passed.

• Broken rail. Preliminary findings of the Commission for the Investigation of Railway Accidents (CIAF) held that one rail appears to have broken before the crash, causing the rear carriages of the Iryo to derail, cross onto the adjacent track, and collide with an oncoming Alvia train.

• Investigators believe the weak point was not the rail as such, but the weld connecting two rails of very different ages, one manufactured in 1989 and another produced in 2023.

• The broken rail had been installed only months before the accident, but it was welded to an older section dating back to the original Madrid–Seville high-speed line (something that’s common practice, it seems).

Experts suspect a defect in that weld may not have been detected during inspections, something that will only be confirmed once metallurgical analyses and the welding records are fully examined.

If this hypothesis is confirmed, responsibility would fall primarily on Adif, the public body that manages Spain’s rail infrastructure.

• That would not necessarily imply a single error, but rather a chain of decisions involving track renewal criteria, welding execution, and inspection protocols.

• The Transport Ministry insists the line had passed all required checks, but the investigation is now questioning why some sections of the line were renewed, and others were not, and whether maintenance standards should have been stricter in high-risk areas such as welds close to switches.

Politically, the case is now moving into the parliamentary arena. Transport Minister Óscar Puente is due to testify today to explain the government’s position and the state of the investigation, while PM Sánchez will address the issue in Parliament on Feb. 11.

State funeral. Spain will hold a state-level funeral in Huelva to honor the victims, with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia confirmed to attend. After the government’s initial plan for a secular state ceremony collapsed amid backlash, the tribute will take the form of a large religious service, organized by the Church and expected to draw a massive crowd.

• The event is very controversial among victims’ families, many of whom have openly rejected any government presence, accusing public authorities of bearing responsibility for the disaster.

• Several relatives refused to attend a state funeral precisely because ministers would be there, arguing that official tributes amount to “photo ops” rather than accountability.

• However, the King’s presence forces the government to be present (because of protocol), and Finance Minister María Jesús Montero will attend on behalf of the executive, alongside a limited and still not fully defined delegation.

Expect tension as private grief and public politics collide. If the first contact between government officials and the families of the Dana storm victims is any guide, there will be heckling and anger.

2. ⚖️ Spain shelves complaint against Julio Iglesias

Julio Iglesias is probably happy. Spain’s National High Court closed a criminal complaint against the pop music legend after the state prosecutor concluded that Spanish courts do not have jurisdiction to investigate sexual assault allegations about events that reportedly took place in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

• This means the case will not move forward in Spain, at least for now. However, it does not settle whether the alleged crimes happened or not. It is a procedural closure, not an acquittal.

Let’s recap. The complaint was filed in early January by the NGO Women’s Link Worldwide, with the support of Amnesty International, on behalf of two women who worked in Iglesias’ home in Punta Cana and whose story was the subject of a joint investigation by El Diario and Univision Noticias (we covered it here).

• Strong allegations. One woman said she was pressured into sex, the other reported unwanted touching and a hostile working environment.

• The NGOs brought the case to Spain, arguing that Iglesias’s citizenship and Spain’s international commitments on trafficking and gender violence should allow Spanish authorities to investigate.

The prosecutor disagreed. In its seven-page resolution, it argued that Iglesias does not live or work in Spain, the women are not Spanish and have never traveled to Spain with him, and the alleged crimes would have taken place entirely abroad.

• Local rules. Under Spain’s rules, prosecutors said, the country can only investigate crimes committed outside its borders if there are strong links to Spain, or if the country where the events happened is unwilling or unable to act.

• Dominican and Bahamian authorities have not signaled that they are renouncing jurisdiction or that they cannot investigate. The prosecutor also stressed that Spanish law on extraterritoriality has been narrowed since 2014, subjecting universal jurisdiction in such cases to strict conditions.

Julio's team hit back. Iglesias has denied the accusations from the beginning and criticized the two accusers on social media. Now, his lawyer has suggested in a legal filing that the singer could file suit against the women for making “false accusations.”

• Bad call? Women’s Link and Amnesty International called the decision “lamentable” and said the court wasted an opportunity to investigate serious conduct involving a Spanish national. They also complained that prosecutors made their decision quickly and did not answer filings that backed Spain’s ability to take the case.

• This isn't over. The women say they will continue the fight and are exploring legal options. The NGOs can still try to file a formal criminal complaint directly at the National High Court, though it would face the same jurisdictional hurdle. Or, more likely, they could push the Dominican Republic or the Bahamas to act.

Antonio Banderas (aka Tony Flags) chimes in. During a swing through Madrid to promote his new production of 'Godspell', Melanie Griffith's ex-husband cautioned against condemning Iglesias until the courts rule on his guilt: “You have to be very careful,” he said. “Once the mud stains a person, some always remains.”

3. 🏆 Spain wins Europe’s unemployment booby prize!

We’ve got good news and bad news. The good news? Spain’s unemployment rate fell to its lowest since 2008. 🥳The bad news? It’s still just shy of 10%. 🫣

• A stats recap. Unemployment fell 0.52 points to 9.93% during the fourth quarter of 2025, the first time it’s been below 10% since early 2008. (Remember 2008? That was when the shit hit the fan global financial crisis sent joblessness soaring.) What’s more, Spain added 605,400 employed workers in 2025, to hit a record of 22.46m, making it the EU country that has added the most new jobs recently. That left 2.48m people without work, and youth unemployment (<25) at “only” 23%, the lowest figures since 2008. Those stats are all undeniably good news.

• But, but, but… Spain is still nowhere near the “gifted and talented” group when it comes to unemployment. It, in fact, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the EU, beating even Greece (barely 8%) and running neck-and-neck with surprise rival Finland. The overall EU rate? 6%. So, like, we’re #1! Maybe?

What’s really going on? Start with the positives. For one thing, immigration. Spain has seen a huge inflow of immigrants in recent years, and they accounted for about 43% of the new jobs in 2025. Second, a construction boom to build all the new homes Spain desperately needs. The country added 79,500 construction jobs last year, not far behind the biggest sector, manufacturing, which added 96,500.

Then why is unemployment still so high? If you listen to economists, they’ll talk about “structural” reasons for the persistently elevated rate — because, sin pelos en la lengua, Spain’s unemployment has rarely dropped below 8% since the 1980s.

• Wrong training and seasonal jobs. Spanish education and training systems often don’t train people for the jobs that actually exist, meaning businesses can’t find the right workers. And many of the jobs that do exist are project-based or seasonal — think hospitality and construction — meaning workers cycle on and off unemployment.

• Spain’s employment laws are rigid, which makes layoffs difficult and expensive — and discourages companies from hiring in the first place.

• Then there’s the “tax wedge”. That’s the percentage of the total cost of employing someone that goes to taxes (both business and employee contributions). Spain’s is 40.6%, according to the OECD, versus an OECD average of 34.9% and 30.1% in the U.S.

Those last two reasons make hiring more expensive (and less attractive). They also make it more tempting for people to work under the table, avoiding taxes and, sometimes, showing up in the stats as unemployed. That’s a reason Spain has one of the EU’s largest underground economies as a share of GDP. (Want more? See our deep dive on why everyone hates Spain’s tax man.)

4. 🌨️ Snowstorm turns Madrid into a chaotic, beautiful winter wonderland

Madrid got a dose of winter chaos yesterday morning when a fast-moving snow monster caught the city (and country) by surprise. The snowfall wasn’t really epic in volume but it was heavy enough in some Madrid districts to activate Madrid’s Winter Emergency Plan (quick, dive under a bed!), shut down parks, deploy salt trucks, slow down commuters, delay people’s caña plans, and make the city look beautiful and unprepared at the same time.

• The snow was part of the Kristin Storm Front, which sounds like a revolutionary terrorist organization but is really a complex Atlantic system that brought rain, wind, and cold air to most of the country.

• In Madrid, 5,600 workers were sent out to salt streets, clear crossings, and keep public transport operational. Parks like El Retiro, Juan Carlos I, and Parque del Oeste were closed for safety, and there were intermittent closures of tunnels and access roads around town. Universities also canceled morning classes, and plenty of work meetings, appointments, and deliveries simply evaporated.

Not so fun now, is it? Outside Madrid, Kristin’s footprint was far more serious. Andalucía was hit by torrential rain and hurricane-force winds, forcing the closure of schools in 77 municipalities, mass power outages affecting more than 170,000 people, evacuations in Cádiz due to rising rivers, and widespread road disruptions. Apocalypse? Now.

• The storm created transport headaches across the peninsula. A runway was temporarily closed at Barajas, several rail lines were suspended in Andalucía due to fallen trees and flooding, and the traffic overlords issued chain requirements and road closures in Ávila, Segovia, and Cáceres. Oh, and Extremadura — which, like Teruel, also exists — suspended classes and activated its regional flood emergency plan as rivers swelled and winds topped 90 km/h.

Sorry not sorry. But here’s the thing about Madrid and snow: we secretly love it. The last truly historic snow event (Filomena in 2021) dumped more than half a meter of snow on the capital, paralyzing it for days.

• You weren’t here? It was bad. Or good. Cars disappeared under snowdrifts, supermarkets ran out of food, and the airport shut down. It was a clusterfuck infrastructure disaster (Why? Because Madrid had like, three snowplows because it never gets snow). But it was also magical.

• People skied down Gran Vía (literally), kids built snowmen in Cibeles, and Instagram had its golden age. For many Madrileños, that memory turned snow from a nuisance into something oddly nostalgic. So when the flakes start falling, the city gets excited.

And more fun is coming soon! Tomorrow brings a brief lull, with weaker rain in the south and center, but expect continued wind in the east and north. If you’re traveling this weekend, expect typical “borrasca mode”: rain in Galicia and Castilla y León, snow above 700–1,000 meters in northern mountains, and yet another Atlantic front on Sunday. Is Spring almost here? Please?

5.🐂 The government wants to ban minors from bullfights

Hold on to your butts! Spain is reopening one of its rawest scabs most symbolic cultural debates.

• The Ministry of Youth and Childhood has proposed a legal reform that would ban minors from attending or participating in events where violence is committed against animals. Ring a bell? The category includes bullfighting.

• The change is being introduced as part of the expansion of LOPIVI, the omnibus law that covers the protection of children and adolescents against violence, and it comes after years of pressure from the United Nations.

• The trigger? During the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s latest review of Spain, Spanish officials were asked directly why the country had not acted on a recommendation issued back in 2018, urging the state to “prohibit the attendance of minors” at bullfights to “prevent harmful effects on children.”

Enter the right. The opposition sees it differently, and the reaction has been predictably polarized. The Partido Popular and Vox frame the proposal as an ideological attack on a constitutionally protected cultural tradition (i.e., on “something Spaniards do”).

• Today, minors are legally allowed to attend bullfights in Spain, and restrictions are set at the regional level (some communities enforce age limits or school-related guidance; others do nothing).

• The new proposal would flip that model. Instead of regional discretion, there would be a uniform national prohibition written into a child protection law.

If the Council of Ministers (aka the Cabinet) approves it, it will move through the legislative process. There’s no guarantee of passing, though.

• Why? The proposal could be softened, delayed, or blocked depending on how aggressively the opposition fights it and — more importantly — how the PSOE positions itself. Inside the party, there is no single unified view of bullfighting and whether it’s a valuable cultural expression or just a terrible thing.

The proposal has reignited a familiar Spanish question. That is, how far should the state go when tradition and rights collide, and what happens when the world is watching?

• Parts of the Spanish media have, over the past year, pushed the idea that young people were flocking back to the bullring, because apparently, there had been an uptick in fan content on Instagram.

• But that story doesn’t hold up when set against the broader data. Attendance at bullfights has been plunging for years, ticket sales are down roughly a fifth compared to the previous decade, and cultural surveys consistently show the sector as one of the few in clear decline.

Going, going… The supposed “youth revival” of bullfights looks more like an anecdotal blip than a real demographic shift. And if this reform passes, that blip would shrink to a blipita.

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