Spain's Ombudsman asked the Constitutional Court on October 16 to urgently lift the voting suspension affecting citizens naturalised under the Ley de Nietos. The appeal is pending. The Supreme Court upheld the suspension on October 12. The outcome will decide whether affected citizens can vote on November 29, 2026.
Congress's standing committee validated a Royal Decree-law extending fuel tax cuts and the gas tariff cap for vulnerable households. Fuel discounts remain until December. PP, PSOE, Sumar and other parties voted in favor. Vox voted against.
Electricity VAT stays at 21% because September's electricity inflation was 11.4%, below the plan's trigger of more than 15%. The safeguard would cut VAT to 10% and electricity tax from 5.1% to 0.5%. Households miss savings of about €11 on November bills despite five months of price rises.
Spain, backed by Portugal, Luxembourg, and France, blocked EU summit wording aimed at its migrant regularisation process. Denmark, Poland, and Italy sought language against measures that could create a "pull effect". The final conclusions do not mention Spain's migration management.
Eurostat confirmed eurozone annual inflation reached 3.8% in September, the highest level in three years. Fresh food prices rose 4%, up from 2.7% in August. The figure adds pressure on the ECB over interest rates.
Spain's mortgage association expects 500,000 mortgages in 2026, the same as in 2025. The average loan rose from €163,700 to €180,785. Banks are tightening offers as Euribor rises, and fixed-rate loans are gaining appeal. Bankers expect lending to cool in 2027.
Galicia's draft 2027 budget would cut IRPF (personal income tax) by 0.25 percentage points in four bands. Rates would be 8.75% up to €12,985.35; 11.40% to €21,068.60; 14.65% to €35,200; 18.40% to €60,000; and 22.5% above. The Galician Parliament must approve it; the cuts would apply retroactively from January.
PSOE and several left-wing and regional parties have agreed joint Senate lists for the November 29 election under "Senado de Progreso". They aim to challenge the PP's previous absolute majority. Podemos remains outside the pact, and whether it will field Senate candidates is unclear.
Frente Amplio registered its nationwide coalition without Podemos after talks failed before the deadline. They will compete separately in most constituencies on November 29, potentially splitting the left-wing vote. Joint lists survived only in the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community.
Thousands of teachers, students, and families marched in Madrid on October 16, the third day of an indefinite teachers' strike. Teachers demand a €600 pay rise, smaller classes, and fewer teaching hours. The strike covers schools from infant to secondary level.
PSOE spokesperson Montse Mínguez announced on October 16 that she is leaving politics following controversy over her partner's property holdings. She is giving up all party posts and will not seek re-election to Congress. She was due to head the PSOE list for Lleida.
Aemet forecasts very heavy, persistent showers from October 17 across parts of Spain's Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands. The agency named the system Adam, the first high-impact DANA of the season. Storms are expected over the weekend in Levante.
Rules now in force give domestic workers equal access to Social Security birth, adoption, and childcare benefits. Payments equal 100% of the regulatory base for the month before leave begins. Workers must be registered and meet age-based contribution requirements; those under 21 need no prior contributions.
Curaleaf expects to start supplying two registered cannabis preparations to 50 Spanish hospitals by the end of October. Hospital pharmacies would use them as raw material to make medicines for patients. Royal Decree 903/2025 has been in force for a year; Curaleaf is so far the only company to register preparations under it.
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