Live News From Spain As It Happens

ELECTRICITY could become cheaper to use at more convenient hours in a hypothetical about-turn for household bills – and that's thanks to solar power.

Since June 2021, 'peak', 'trough' and 'off-peak' time slots were introduced by Spain's main power board Iberdrola – and sparked numerous neighbour disputes.

'Off-peak' or 'flat-rate' slots were to cost the same as all power use around the clock had been until then, with the cheapest and most expensive times attracting a price difference of up to 95%.

Lowest-cost electricity is between midnight and 07.59 in the morning, at weekends, and on national holidays, whilst the times to avoid are from 10.00 to 14.00 or 18.00 to 22.00 from Monday to Friday inclusive.

At a time when energy bills were starting to climb, residents began putting their washing machines on overnight in a bid to make ends meet, financially – and falling foul of their neighbours for disturbing their sleep.

Arguments about this between residents in adjoining properties and apartment blocks appear to have died down – perhaps because the population has got used to sleeping through a neighbour's washing machine, or has been forced to put their own on overnight, too, or because of newer appliance models being generally quieter.

On the whole, though, the new pricing structure has been inconvenient for many reasons: Cooking dinner in the evening has to be done at peak time, unless you are willing to eat very late - even allowing for the fact that Spanish people tend not to sit down to their last meal of the day until at least 21.00.

All this could be set to change, though – and the sun is single-handedly responsible.

Early afternoon is when energy production costs fall, argues CNMC

The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) says the 'massive invasion of solar power' as a source of the mains electricity supply means the hottest parts of the day automatically generate the most energy.

Even when mornings and evenings are still chilly, most of Spain has a strong midday sun – in many parts of the country, temperatures similar to high summer can strike at lunchtime even in deep winter, with the remainder of the day and night being freezing cold.

This means the cost of energy production is at its lowest between noon and 16.00, the CNMC says, and is calling for this slot to be the cheapest for bill-payers.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

INFLATION in the Eurozone has fallen slightly, but is still more than double that of Spain – the common-currency nation with the third-lowest rate.

According to the continent-wide statistics agency, Eurostat, inflation across the countries which use the euro fell from 7% to 6.1% in May, the most recent full month for which figures are available.

But Spain's own inflation rate is dramatically lower – in fact, after Belgium and Luxembourg, is the most reduced figure in the Eurozone.

As at the end of May, inflation in Spain was 2.9%, meaning residents are not suffering price increases to the same extent as those in their neighbouring countries.

Even at its 2023 peak – in April – Spain's rate of inflation was much lower than the Eurozone average is now, at 3.8%.

It does not mean consumer prices have come down – just that they have stopped rising, according to the Bank of Spain.

Only Belgium, at 2.7%, and Luxembourg, at 2%, have lower inflation than in Spain at present.

Meanwhile, Germany and Italy far exceed the Eurozone average, at 6.3% and 8.1% respectively, and France is only just below the across-the-board figure, at 6%.

Lithuania and Slovakia are experiencing the toughest time with living costs, dealing with inflation rates at above 12%.

What has triggered the inflation slowdown

Lower inflation rates in the Eurozone are not entirely due to rising interest, however. Eurostat says falling energy costs – now 1.7% lower than a year ago – are partly responsible.

Reduced prices of transport fuel, electricity and gas have also helped slow inflation in food and other consumer goods.

Although still 9.6% more expensive on average than in May 2022, food price inflation has fallen from the 13.5% seen in April this year.

As a result, underlying inflation – which excludes the effect of price-volatile commodities such as energy and non-processed food – has shrunk from 5.6% in April 2023 to 5.3% in May, down 0.4 percentage points from its record high in March of 5.7%.

Food prices have not all risen by a standard 9.6%. Shoppers in Spain have noticed that, whilst a very small number of items are no more expensive than in 2021, a significant proportion are now a third more expensive, with costs in some cases soaring by 50% or even 100%.

Spain's government acted earlier this year to cut value-added tax (IVA) on staple food items to zero, meaning that although most of these are now around 40% more expensive than in 2021, their prices have not risen for several months.

Euribor rates still rise, even as inflation falls

All this said, and despite the USA's Federal Reserve having opted to cut interest rates and the Eurozone's having entered into 'technical recession', the European Central Bank (BCE) has upped its own rates again.

Now rising from just above 3% to over 4%, the Euribor – or Eurozone interest rate – is at its highest since 2008.

And the BCE has hinted the latest hike might not even be the last.

A year ago, the Euribor was still in minus figures, meaning mortgage repayments across the common currency area have soared.

Increasing interest rates is the standard response to controlling inflation, and during the six years the Euribor was below zero, Eurozone inflation still needed to rise.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

SPAIN could be at the threshold of its 'best summer in history' in tourism terms, according to forecasts from the industry – up to 50 million visitors from home and abroad are expected within the three main holiday months.

Tourism was one of the nation's fastest-growing industries before the pandemic, with 2019 seeing the greatest number of visitors to date: Around 90 million all year, or more than double the resident population.

In just a quarter of that period, or from mid-June to mid-September approximately, Spain is predicted to welcome more visitors than it has inhabitants – as at the last census, the country was home to 47.6 million people.

But holidaymakers need to be catered for; eating out and going out for drinks and ice-creams, or even ordering takeaways, are all part of the summer travel experience. 

This means employment in traditional tourist belts is heavily weighted towards the hospitality, hotel and catering industry, and largely seasonal.

Good-quality, highly-paid jobs requiring superior qualifications, as well as long-term or permanent employment, are likely to be harder to find on the Costas and islands, and these workers are the first to suffer when there's a downturn in the tourism industry.

The past four years has seen a mixture of jobs in the sector declining and fewer applicants – firstly, the pandemic led to tourism almost disappearing, and now it has recovered in full, employees in bars and restaurants have had time to rethink their life plans.

“If there are no improvements in job quality, security and wages, we're not going to find enough professionals for the sector, which will put levels of service in jeopardy,” says one of Spain's main unions, the Labourers' Commissions (CCOO).

The hospitality industry needs 'a hefty boost', with European Union Next Generation funds used to guarantee its sustainability, the CCOO says in its recent report, Tourism Approaches at the Crossroads of Recovery.

Next Generation grants should be used to make working conditions better – higher wages, reduced working hours, sufficient breaks, 'appropriate' workload and, where professionals live on the job, improved accommodation, according to the CCOO.

These efforts should focus especially on 'high-tension' or high-demand areas, such as the Costas and islands, where the bulk of summer visitors are found.

Why hospitality workers are quitting – and how to keep them

This year, approximately 49% of the forecast 50 million summer holidaymakers will be from overseas, and 51% on 'staycations', leading to up to 160 million overnight stays, requiring a minimum of 280,000 employees.

Yet, since that record year in 2019, bar and restaurant staff have fallen in number by over 32,000, cleaning staff by 11,000, and chefs and kitchen assistants by 12,000.

In total, in the hospitality sector alone, employee numbers are down by around 75,000.

The CCOO, referring to 'the great walk-out' which 'was first seen in the USA' and where president Joe Biden famously gave the solution as 'pay them more, then', says the situation will get worse unless jobs become more attractive.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

Arthur 'wished her luck' and 'shyly asked for a selfie'...and the rest is history, Hollywood-style

WIMBLEDON winner and former world number one tennis star Garbiñe Muguruza has stunned her followers by announcing plans to marry her partner of two years – and sent many fans into a frenzy of daydreaming.

Almost everyone on earth has imagined, at least once, a scenario where their celebrity crush falls in love with them and they end up together, but for practically all of these avid fans, the chances of this ever happening are virtually nil.

For Arthur Borges, though, this fairytale ending is his real life.

The New Yorker spotted Garbiñe, now 29, leaving her hotel in the Big Apple in August 2021, and shouted to her, “good luck in the US Open!”

Garbiñe agreed to take a selfie with him, and the story from that point onwards sounds identical to a Hollywood blockbuster script.

“When I saw him, I was left thinking, what a handsome guy!” the half-Spanish, half-Venezuelan prodigy revealed.

“After that, we began to really connect. We went for walks together every day in Central Park. 

“Yes, it's very romantic, that's true. We were instantly attracted to each other; it was totally unexpected, happening just like that when we crossed paths in the street.”

Her views on Arthur's attractiveness turned out not to be entirely subjective – he works as a model, and at the time, was under contract to Tom Ford.

But Garbiñe had no idea about that when they first met.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

FANS of Formula 1 and high-end sports cars have just two days left to get their hands on Spanish motorsport legend Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, one of around 40 models up for auction on Thursday.

All things Ferrari-related, including sought-after vehicles by the Italian brand, are due to go under the hammer at Monaco Car Auctions on June 8 – although the twice-world champion's Ferrari Enzo is likely to overshadow the rest of the collection.

This said, it is tipped to be one of the least-affordable cars on sale, so those seeking a cheaper version may be more likely to home in on the other lots displayed on Monaco Car Auctions' website and Instagram page.

Alonso's Ferrari Enzo has only around 4,800 kilometres on the clock – most of these kilometres having been covered at high speed – and was registered in 2011, although the actual Enzo model was manufactured between 2002 and 2004.

Its celebrity owner drove it during the four years he was on the scuderia Ferrari, and has a Spanish registration plate as it was largely kept at Alonso's home in Oviedo, Asturias.

Naturally, its mechanics and bodywork will be immaculate, given that high-performance cars spend most of their time in the workshop being attended to by top motorsport engineers when they are not on the circuit.

Even without its having been a former F1 car, the Enzo is unique – according to the Ferrari Classiche certification, it is a Scocca No 1, or its chassis is the first-ever edition for the model.

As is standard for F1 cars, Alonso's Enzo is bright red – the colour is named Rosso Corsa, or 'racing red'.

Only 400 of this type of Ferrari – in Rosso Corsa and other shades – were ever manufactured, and many of these had very high-profile owners, including Pope John Paul II.

The latter received his as a gift, and donated it for auction so the proceeds could be used for charity.

With a V12 engine, 6.0L, and 660 horse-power, Alonso's old car is capable of reaching speeds of up to 350 kilometres per hour (217.5 miles per hour), although its new owner will be unable to put this to the test, given that they will only be able to drive it at motorway speed limits.

This exceptional speed is made possible by the very light weight of the car – a vehicle of this size for standard road use would be much heavier than the 1.255 tonnes the Enzo clocks in at.

Anyone seeking to place a bid can request a private viewing before the day of the auction, which is at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

It is not clear whether there is a reserve price on the 2005 and 2006 F1 champion's Ferrari, which means, in theory, it could end up being sold for almost any amount.

But the winning bid is almost certain to be an astronomical sum out of the reach of the average car-owner seeking a new runaround or commuter vehicle.

SPAIN'S president's huge gamble in calling a snap election this summer might affect everything from the nation's European Union leadership rôle through to local fiesta parades – but Pedro Sánchez considers it necessary after Sunday's nationwide vote.

His party has been weakened by a surge in the key opposition, meaning the current national leader believes a general election in summer could restore its strength if it takes the lion's share of the votes.

The trigger for Pedro Sánchez's bringing the 2023 general election forward from November to July 23 has been largely influenced by the battering his party took on Sunday.

Of the 10 regions then governed by the PSOE, six now have either a PP majority, or the PP was the most-voted, meaning it would be able to govern in coalition if it held the most seats, even if not exactly half plus one.

Councillor and MP seats are usually odd-numbered, so as to prevent tie-breaks, but this does not always avert a hung Parliament.

The PP being the most-voted party does not, automatically, mean it will govern, but the public and media will now be closely scrutinising potential coalitions or pacts that could alter the election outcome.

What Sunday's elections were for, and how they're not the end of the story

Regional governments – which can only be voted for by Spanish citizens – and local councils, where certain foreign residents are able to cast their ballot, have come up for 'renewal' after four years in office.

In Spain, all elections are held on a Sunday, since this is not a working day and so, in theory, allows everyone to participate if they are eligible.

Polling stations are open from 07.00 until 22.00, without closing for lunch.

Once, any election would be a straight battle between the two main national parties, the right-wing PP and the left-wing socialists, or PSOE. But independent parties have been created at all levels of government in the past eight years, meaning it is no longer a case of the most-voted group automatically gaining a majority.

Whilst at present, only two countries in the continent of Europe operate a 'first-past-the-post' system – the UK and Belarus – the PP is keen to introduce it, considering that the party with the most votes should be the one that governs, by default. Where this structure is observed, it can often mean a party with a fairly small minority, barely a quarter of the national vote at times, can end up in power.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

'AIR-TAXIS' are about to become a reality in Spain, and will slash travel times and emissions when island-hopping.

NextNorth says the blueprint for a drone-powered 'cab' it unveiled during the Qatar World Cup will allow the public to get to local or regional destinations 80% faster than usual.

The eVTOL will be rolled out in the Balearic Islands, which residents usually travel between via passenger ferry, and will even be suitable for moving around within the same island.

Their name stands for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing, and customers can either book an entire eVTOL to themselves, or just a seat in one that is already covering a route.

'Ridesharing' means air-travel across the Balearics will be cheaper, but does not cut emissions – because there are none.

Given that they are operated by drones and on electricity, they are environmentally-friendly, and practically net-zero in terms of their carbon footprint if they are recharged with electrical power from renewable sources.

NextNorth is now planning to spend time in Balearic skies, identifying key transport routes from helicopters, and working out where and how to create the infrastructure needed for their airborne vehicles.

They will need to construct 'verti-ports' and 'logistics lockers' that connect these flight paths with existing land-based transport.

Once locations have been earmarked and planning permission obtained, NextNorth will put the job of building these facilities in the hands of Bluenest.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com