Spain in images.

The New Spain
Spain is going through a transformation – a new chapter in its history.
Madrid

Thirty years of change

Following the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco in 1975, “la movida” represented a change in Spanish society towards the creation of a modern, democratic and artistic nation. Spain later re-established itself as a European player and joined the EEC in 1986.

In 1992, the country took major steps on the international stage when Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympic Games and when Seville hosted Expo 92. It was a culmination of a new image of Spanish culture and an invitation for the world to visit Spain’s cities and beaches. The result was a boom in tourism and an expansion of the country’s infrastructure.

In 1996, Jose Maria Aznar’s rightist Popular Party won the elections, steering the Spanish economy towards positive growth rates and increased job creation. Meanwhile, integration within the EU helped to build a strong industrial sector and supported the expansion of a budding entrepreneurial spirit in Spanish society.

Spain Today

Spain is once again at a crossroads.

A new government leads the nation, as the Socialist Party of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero took power in March following a surprise election win.

At the same time, the country was shaken up only a few days before the elections by terrorist bombings in Madrid which killed 191 people and injured some 1,900 in Spain's worst ever terrorist attack.

Zapatero said that his first priority is to counter terrorism and has called for a new international alliance against it. He is expected to take a tolerant approach towards nationalist aspirations in the Spanish regions and he also pledged to work to boost growth while improving social welfare measures and simplifying the tax system.

The Spanish economy managed to grow by over 2% for each year of the 1999-2002 period, including growth of 2.3% in 2003. A notable performance of the labour market was one of the main factors underpinning growth, prompting a rise in disposable income and in consumer confidence. The construction sector is booming and trendy new hotels and restaurants are opening every month. Although the country is changing in a positive manner, major economic and cultural challenges are still destabilizing the base of Spanish society:

• The EU expansion has decreased Spain’s comparative competitiveness and its investment in research and development is still very low compared to EU standards, which has lead many multinationals to re-locate to Eastern European countries;
• Immigration has changed the cultural landscape of the country, while bringing in a source of new labour;
• Spanish fashion designers are slowly establishing themselves on the international stage, yet in general the image of products that are Made in Spain is still undefined;
• Tourism revenues are still strong. However, Spain is faced with the increasing competitiveness of other destinations such as Greece, Croatia or Turkey.
• Spanish export sales are low and foreign investment is mostly limited to Latin America and EU countries;
• Meanwhile, the government of President Zapatero is focused on becoming a major actor in Europe’s development, particularly in the EMEA region.

Events like Barcelona’s Forum 2004 or Madrid’s 2010 Olympic Bid represent the country’s desire to be a world leader in cultural, political and artistic trends. Will it succeed? Where will this lead Spain? How can it become more competitive?

Our interviews will seek to answer these questions and build upon the issues of the day to provide a clearer picture of the New Spain. We will attempt to understand the concerns and impressions of diplomats and foreign investors in Spain, while meeting with top Spanish businesspeople to discuss their ambitions and future plans.

Interview with S.E. Grazyna Bernatowicz, Ambassador of Poland to Madrid, Spain. ...read more! (in spanish)		Interview with S.E. Gábor Tóth, Ambassador of Hungary to Madrid, Spain. ...read more! (in spanish)
Saudia Arabia: Read our interview with His Royal Highness Prince Saud Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Spain. ...read more!		Equador: H.E. Sr. D. Francisco Carrión Mena Embajador de la República de Ecuador ...read more!
Mexico: H.E.Gabriel Jiménez Remus Ambassador of Mexico to Spain.  ...read more! (in spanish)		Philippines: H.E. Joseph Bernardo y Medina, Ambassador of the Philippines to Madrid  ...read more!
Brazil: H.E Carlos Moreira-Garcia, Ambassador of Brazil in Spain  ...read more! (in spanish)		World Tourism Organisation: M. Francesco Frangialli Secrétaire Général Organisation mondiale du tourisme ...read more!
South Africa: Interview with H.E. Gert Johannes Grobler, South African Ambassador to Madrid. ...read more!		Colombia: S.E. Noemí Sanín Posada, Embajadora de Colombia ante el Reino de España y S.E. María Consuelo Araújo Castro, Ministra de Cultura de la República de Colombia. ...read more! (in spanish)
Spain: Read our interview with Mr. Anton Küng, General Manager, Hotel Ritz Madrid. ...read more!

Valencia's "City of Arts and Sciences".

Spain's new PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero