Publication

This paper outlines the political and economic situation in Spain following the formation of the country’s coalition government in January 2020, the first such government since the 1930s. Insights include that Pedro Sánchez, the Socialist caretaker Prime Minister, was only able to form his minority government with Unidas Podemos (UP) by the narrowest of margins. This could be of concern as the government faces a raft of challenges including continued high unemployment in a slowing economy, the need for a new budget, population ageing and its impact on the welfare state’s sustainability, and the Catalan independence conflict.