On March 4, the Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, reached a significant agreement with the pro-independence party Junts. This accord grants Catalonia increased control over immigration matters, including the management of deportations for individuals with entry bans. The move is seen as a substantial concession to the region’s separatist movement, aiming to address longstanding demands for greater autonomy.
In a controversial move, the conservative People’s Party (PP) released an AI-generated video parodying the reality show “Temptation Island,” targeting Prime Minister Sánchez and his administration. The video, intended to highlight alleged corruption within the government, depicted Sánchez, his wife Begoña Gómez, and former transport minister José Luis Ábalos in a satirical manner. However, the portrayal of the Dominican Republic, where the show is filmed, led to diplomatic tensions, prompting the PP to apologize and remove the video. The incident coincided with former PP Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s testimony before Congress regarding alleged corruption within the party during his tenure.
On March 5, the Spanish government announced plans to propose an amendment to the constitution that would recognize abortion as a constitutional right. This initiative aims to solidify reproductive rights and ensure access to abortion services across the country, reflecting the government’s commitment to women’s rights and healthcare.
In economic policy, the government approved an increase in the Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI) by €50 per month, setting it at €1,184 in 14 payments. This adjustment, effective retroactively from January 1, 2025, benefits nearly 2.5 million workers, with a significant impact on women and young people. The increase aims to reduce income inequality and improve living standards for low-wage earners.
Additionally, Spain commemorated the 50th anniversary of dictator Francisco Franco’s death with a series of events highlighting the country’s transition to democracy. Prime Minister Sánchez emphasized the importance of remembering this period to prevent the resurgence of autocratic values, especially amid the rising far-right movements in Europe. The commemorations aim to educate younger generations about the dangers of totalitarianism and celebrate Spain’s democratic achievements.
In the financial sector, BBVA, a leading Spanish bank, announced on March 10 that it has received approval from the country’s securities regulator to offer bitcoin and ether trading services in Spain. Through its application, BBVA will launch a service enabling its customers to securely buy, sell, and manage transactions of these cryptocurrencies.
In tourism, the Balearic Islands, including Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca, and Formentera, are set to increase tourist charges by up to 200%. The regional government’s proposed measures, awaiting approval, could see overnight tourist charges rise from €4 to €6 per person per night. This change would result in guests staying in four or five-star hotels paying up to €42 per week, affecting families with older children. Cruise ship passengers will also face higher charges, with fees increasing from €2 to up to €6. Exemptions will apply during the low season (January and February) to attract visitors. Additional discussions include imposing emission taxes on tourist vehicles and controlling tourist accommodation to combat illegal rentals.
On January 7, Spain announced plans to issue €60 billion in net debt in 2025, up from €55 billion in 2024, as stated by Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo. Gross debt issuance is expected to reach €278 billion, compared to €257 billion in the previous year, equivalent to 17% of the nation’s GDP. This increase aims to provide flexibility to address reconstruction needs from floods in southeastern Spain that resulted in 224 deaths. The debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to be 101.4% by the end of 2025, down from 102.5% at the end of 2024. Spain’s GDP grew by 2.7% in 2024 and is expected to grow by 2.5% in 2025, outpacing other large EU economies.
In sports, the Spanish Badminton Federation (FESBA) has decided not to organize the Spain Masters 2025, a Super 300 category tournament of the World Circuit, due to a lack of financial support from the Madrid City Council. The event, part of the prestigious HSBC BWF World Tour, was scheduled to be held at the Gallur Municipal Sports Center from March 20 to 25, 2025. FESBA explained that the City Council did not fulfill the financial commitment made in 2022 to fund the tournament for four years. The organization, led by Andoni Azurmendi, regrets the situation and has informed the Badminton World Federation (BWF) about the infeasibility of the event, leading to its cancellation for the upcoming year.
In aviation, Ryanair has announced 13 new flights to popular summer destinations starting from 2025, following the cancellation of routes to Denmark and several Spanish destinations due to high fees and taxes. The new schedule features increased flights to cities like Alicante, Edinburgh, Faro, Kaunas, Krakow, Malaga, Porto, and Reus, as well as a new route from Shannon Airport to Madeira. Additional routes from Porto to Rome, Madeira to Milan, and Shannon to Bournemouth are also introduced. Extra seats have been added for flights to and from La Rochelle Airport in France ahead of the European Rugby Champions Cup match. This expanded schedule is part of Ryanair’s ongoing investment strategy, which includes the addition of new aircraft and the creation of 60 new jobs. The route changes come after Denmark’s introduction of a passenger tax, leading to the closure of Ryanair’s base at Billund Airport, and a reduction of flights at several Spanish airports due to similar fees.
In terms of weather, Spain has been experiencing a notably wet period. The high-impact storm Jana has led to ten consecutive days of rainfall, with forecasts predicting at least two more weeks of abundant precipitation across the country. This past weekend was particularly severe, with intense rains in the west, center, and Pyrenees regions, accompanied by strong winds and a drop in the snow level to 900-1200 meters, resulting in heavy snowfall in mountainous areas. Saturday was especially adverse, featuring widespread rains, storms, and small hail in many regions. Although Jana began to weaken on Sunday, it continued to bring precipitation and strong winds. The upcoming weeks are expected to remain very wet, with rainfall levels above normal and temperatures lower than usual, especially in the northern half of the peninsula.
Weather Summary for Spain (March 3 to March 9, 2025):
- Andalusia: Temperatures ranged from 12°C to 20°C. The region experienced cloudy skies and moderate rainfall, particularly in the western provinces such as Huelva and Cadiz, on March 3 and 4. By March 7, the weather cleared up, and there were sunnier intervals, especially in Seville and Cordoba.
- Aragon: Temperatures varied between 7°C and 16°C. Zaragoza and Huesca saw light to moderate rain on March 3, 4, and 5. The weather improved towards the weekend, with breaks in the rain, leading to milder temperatures by March 8.
- Balearic Islands: Temperatures ranged from 16°C to 19°C. The region experienced a mix of cloudy skies and light rain on March 3 and 4. However, conditions improved by March 6, with plenty of sunshine, particularly in Mallorca and Ibiza, making the weather quite pleasant for outdoor activities.
- Basque Country: Temperatures ranged from 9°C to 16°C. Bilbao and surrounding areas experienced periods of heavy rain, particularly on March 6 and 7. The weather was often cloudy, with occasional light showers throughout the week, making for damp conditions.
- Canary Islands: Temperatures ranged from 16°C to 22°C. The islands enjoyed mild and mostly sunny conditions throughout the week. There was occasional cloud cover, but no significant rain events, making it an ideal destination for those seeking pleasant weather.
- Castilla-La Mancha: Temperatures ranged between 7°C and 16°C. Toledo and Cuenca experienced light to moderate rain on March 3, 4, and 5. The weather cleared up by March 6, with more sunny intervals, and temperatures warmed up slightly as the weekend approached.
- Castilla y León: Temperatures ranged from 7°C to 16°C. Valladolid and Salamanca had moderate rain early in the week, with light showers continuing through March 5. By March 7, conditions improved, and there were more breaks in the clouds, with drier and milder weather.
- Catalonia: Temperatures varied between 14°C and 18°C. Barcelona and Tarragona saw some rain on March 3 and 4, but the weather gradually improved by March 6. The latter part of the week brought sunny intervals, with warmer temperatures, particularly on March 8 and 9.
- Ceuta and Melilla: Temperatures ranged between 12°C and 18°C. The cities had moderate rain on March 3 and 4, but the weather cleared up by March 7. By March 9, both cities saw plenty of sunshine and milder temperatures, making it a more pleasant weekend.
- Extremadura: Temperatures ranged from 10°C to 20°C. Badajoz and Cáceres saw light to moderate rain at the start of the week, particularly on March 3 and 4. By March 6, the weather cleared, with sunny spells making the latter part of the week more enjoyable.
- Galicia: Temperatures ranged from 8°C to 14°C. Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña saw persistent rain, especially on March 6 and 7, with moderate to heavy showers. The weather remained cool, with strong winds along the coast and a damp atmosphere.
- Madrid: Temperatures ranged from 6°C to 16°C. The capital city experienced heavy rain on March 3 and 4. However, by March 6, the weather began to improve, with more sunshine and drier conditions. By March 9, the temperature rose slightly, with milder and clearer conditions.
- Murcia: Temperatures ranged from 11°C to 19°C. The region had rain on March 3 and 4, but conditions improved from March 6 onwards, with dry and sunny spells. The weather remained mild, with March 8 being the warmest day of the week.
- Navarre: Temperatures ranged between 7°C and 16°C. Pamplona and surrounding areas saw light rain at the beginning of the week. However, by March 8, conditions improved with breaks in the rain and more sunshine, leading to warmer temperatures by the weekend.
- La Rioja: Temperatures varied between 7°C and 15°C. Light to moderate rain occurred on March 3 and 4, but the weather cleared up by March 6. There were some sunny intervals in the latter half of the week, making the weather more favorable.
- Asturias: Temperatures ranged from 7°C to 14°C. Oviedo and Gijón saw light rain and cloudy skies throughout the week. Rain persisted until March 7, after which there was some improvement with occasional sunshine, especially by March 9.
- Cantabria: Temperatures ranged between 9°C and 16°C. The region had persistent rain from March 3 to March 6, with occasional showers throughout. The weather cleared by March 7 and 8, providing drier and more pleasant conditions for the weekend.
- Valencia: Temperatures ranged between 14°C and 20°C. Valencia city and surrounding areas experienced cloud cover and rain on March 3 and 4, but conditions improved by March 6. The latter part of the week saw sunnier spells, with warmer temperatures and clear skies.
- Galicia: Similar to previous descriptions, temperatures in cities like Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña ranged from 8°C to 14°C, with consistent rain on March 6 and 7. Winds along the coast were strong, and the overall conditions were quite damp throughout the week.
In summary, the week of March 3 to March 9, 2025, saw varying weather conditions across Spain’s regions. Northern and inland areas experienced cooler temperatures and more frequent rain, while southern and coastal regions enjoyed more favorable weather with warmer temperatures and breaks in the rain. Overall, it was a typical early spring week, with a mixture of rain, cloudy skies, and sunny spells.
7-Day Weather Forecast for Spain (March 10 – March 16, 2025):
Andalusia:
- Seville:
- March 10: High of 17°C, low of 9°C, heavy rain.
- March 11: High of 18°C, low of 10°C, heavy rain.
- March 12: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, heavy rain.
- March 13: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, heavy rain.
- March 14: High of 21°C, low of 13°C, heavy rain.
- March 15: High of 22°C, low of 14°C, heavy rain.
- March 16: High of 23°C, low of 15°C, heavy rain.
Aragon:
- Zaragoza:
- March 10: High of 16°C, low of 7°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 17°C, low of 8°C, showers.
- March 12: High of 18°C, low of 9°C, light rain.
- March 13: High of 19°C, low of 10°C, light rain.
- March 14: High of 20°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with light rain.
- March 15: High of 21°C, low of 12°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 22°C, low of 13°C, scattered showers.
Asturias:
- Oviedo:
- March 10: High of 16°C, low of 8°C, cloudy with rain.
- March 11: High of 14°C, low of 7°C, light rain.
- March 12: High of 15°C, low of 8°C, cloudy with showers.
- March 13: High of 13°C, low of 7°C, rain.
- March 14: High of 12°C, low of 6°C, cloudy with showers.
- March 15: High of 13°C, low of 6°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 14°C, low of 7°C, cloudy with a chance of rain.
Balearic Islands:
- Palma:
- March 10: High of 17°C, low of 11°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 18°C, low of 9°C, cloudy with some sun.
- March 12: High of 18°C, low of 12°C, partly cloudy.
- March 13: High of 19°C, low of 12°C, light showers.
- March 14: High of 20°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with a few showers.
- March 15: High of 21°C, low of 13°C, sunny intervals.
- March 16: High of 21°C, low of 12°C, mostly sunny.
Basque Country:
- Bilbao:
- March 10: High of 15°C, low of 9°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 16°C, low of 10°C, scattered showers.
- March 12: High of 17°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with a chance of rain.
- March 13: High of 18°C, low of 12°C, light showers.
- March 14: High of 19°C, low of 12°C, cloudy with rain.
- March 15: High of 20°C, low of 13°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 21°C, low of 14°C, light rain.
Canary Islands:
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria:
- March 10: High of 22°C, low of 16°C, mostly sunny.
- March 11: High of 22°C, low of 16°C, partly cloudy.
- March 12: High of 22°C, low of 18°C, sunny.
- March 13: High of 22°C, low of 18°C, sunny intervals.
- March 14: High of 22°C, low of 17°C, sunny.
- March 15: High of 23°C, low of 18°C, mostly sunny.
- March 16: High of 23°C, low of 19°C, sunny.
Cantabria:
- Santander:
- March 10: High of 14°C, low of 8°C, cloudy with rain.
- March 11: High of 15°C, low of 9°C, light showers.
- March 12: High of 16°C, low of 10°C, cloudy with some sunshine.
- March 13: High of 17°C, low of 11°C, light rain.
- March 14: High of 18°C, low of 12°C, cloudy with light rain.
- March 15: High of 19°C, low of 13°C, light showers.
- March 16: High of 20°C, low of 14°C, cloudy with occasional rain.
Castile and León:
- Valladolid:
- March 10: High of 14°C, low of 7°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 15°C, low of 8°C, scattered showers.
- March 12: High of 16°C, low of 9°C, cloudy with some rain.
- March 13: High of 17°C, low of 10°C, rain.
- March 14: High of 18°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with a chance of showers.
- March 15: High of 19°C, low of 12°C, light showers.
- March 16: High of 20°C, low of 13°C, cloudy with occasional rain.
Castile-La Mancha:
- Toledo:
- March 10: High of 15°C, low of 6°C, rain showers.
- March 11: High of 16°C, low of 7°C, cloudy with light rain.
- March 12: High of 17°C, low of 8°C, scattered showers.
- March 13: High of 18°C, low of 9°C, partly cloudy with light rain.
- March 14: High of 19°C, low of 10°C, cloudy with a few showers.
- March 15: High of 20°C, low of 11°C, sunny intervals.
- March 16: High of 21°C, low of 12°C, mostly sunny.
Catalonia:
- Barcelona:
- March 10: High of 16°C, low of 10°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 17°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with occasional rain.
- March 12: High of 18°C, low of 12°C, partly sunny.
- March 13: High of 19°C, low of 13°C, scattered showers.
- March 14: High of 20°C, low of 14°C, cloudy with showers.
- March 15: High of 21°C, low of 14°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 22°C, low of 15°C, sunny intervals.
Extremadura:
- Badajoz:
- March 10: High of 18°C, low of 10°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, scattered showers.
- March 12: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, cloudy with a few showers.
- March 13: High of 21°C, low of 13°C, partly sunny.
- March 14: High of 22°C, low of 14°C, sunny.
- March 15: High of 23°C, low of 15°C, sunny intervals.
- March 16: High of 24°C, low of 16°C, sunny.
Galicia:
- Santiago de Compostela:
- March 10: High of 14°C, low of 8°C, rain.
- March 11: High of 15°C, low of 9°C, light rain.
- March 12: High of 16°C, low of 10°C, cloudy with rain.
- March 13: High of 17°C, low of 11°C, scattered showers.
- March 14: High of 18°C, low of 12°C, light rain.
- March 15: High of 19°C, low of 13°C, cloudy with some rain.
- March 16: High of 20°C, low of 14°C, scattered showers.
La Rioja:
- Logroño:
- March 10: High of 15°C, low of 7°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 16°C, low of 8°C, cloudy with light rain.
- March 12: High of 17°C, low of 9°C, scattered showers.
- March 13: High of 18°C, low of 10°C, cloudy with light rain.
- March 14: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with some rain.
- March 15: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, sunny intervals.
- March 16: High of 21°C, low of 13°C, sunny.
Madrid:
- Madrid:
- March 10: High of 14°C, low of 6°C, heavy rain.
- March 11: High of 15°C, low of 7°C, heavy rain.
- March 12: High of 16°C, low of 8°C, heavy rain.
- March 13: High of 17°C, low of 9°C, heavy rain.
- March 14: High of 18°C, low of 10°C, heavy rain.
- March 15: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, heavy rain.
- March 16: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, heavy rain.
Murcia:
- Murcia:
- March 10: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, scattered showers.
- March 12: High of 21°C, low of 12°C, partly sunny.
- March 13: High of 22°C, low of 14°C, sunny.
- March 14: High of 22°C, low of 13°C, sunny intervals.
- March 15: High of 23°C, low of 15°C, mostly sunny.
- March 16: High of 24°C, low of 16°C, sunny.
Navarre:
- Pamplona:
- March 10: High of 15°C, low of 7°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 16°C, low of 8°C, scattered showers.
- March 12: High of 17°C, low of 9°C, cloudy with a chance of rain.
- March 13: High of 18°C, low of 10°C, light showers.
- March 14: High of 19°C, low of 11°C, cloudy with rain.
- March 15: High of 20°C, low of 12°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 21°C, low of 13°C, light rain.
Valencia:
- Valencia:
- March 10: High of 16°C, low of 9°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 17°C, low of 10°C, cloudy with some rain.
- March 12: High of 18°C, low of 11°C, partly cloudy.
- March 13: High of 19°C, low of 12°C, scattered showers.
- March 14: High of 20°C, low of 13°C, cloudy with showers.
- March 15: High of 21°C, low of 14°C, light rain.
- March 16: High of 22°C, low of 15°C, sunny intervals.
Ceuta (Autonomous City):
- Ceuta:
- March 10: High of 16°C, low of 11°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 17°C, low of 12°C, partly cloudy.
- March 12: High of 18°C, low of 13°C, sunny intervals.
- March 13: High of 19°C, low of 14°C, sunny.
- March 14: High of 20°C, low of 15°C, sunny.
- March 15: High of 21°C, low of 16°C, sunny.
- March 16: High of 22°C, low of 17°C, mostly sunny.
Melilla (Autonomous City):
- Melilla:
- March 10: High of 17°C, low of 12°C, light rain.
- March 11: High of 18°C, low of 13°C, sunny intervals.
- March 12: High of 19°C, low of 14°C, sunny.
- March 13: High of 20°C, low of 15°C, sunny intervals.
- March 14: High of 21°C, low of 16°C, sunny.
- March 15: High of 22°C, low of 17°C, mostly sunny.
- March 16: High of 23°C, low of 18°C, sunny.