About: Mariano Rajoy
Luxury home purchase haunts Spain’s far-left Podemos party
Accusations of hypocrisy have rained down on the couple that heads Spain's far-left Podemos party for buying a 600,000-euro luxury home with a swimming pool after previously condemning such extravagance.
Kosovo is not Catalonia, Kosovo’s Thaci tells absent Spanish PM Rajoy
Pristina ‘understands’ the decision of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy not to attend the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, but “Kosovo is not Catalonia”, Kosovo's President Hashim Thaçi told EURACTIV.com.
Western Balkans remain in standby mode
EU members want to take their time with a new round of enlargement - something that the Western Balkans summit this Thursday (17 May) in Sofia is unlikely to change. EURACTIV Germany’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Kosovo conundrum looms large over Western Balkans summit
As Bulgaria prepares for a Western Balkan summit in May, seen by many as the centrepiece of its EU Council Presidency, Sofia has realised that not all its guests want to sit at the same table.
Juncker warns of cuts to MFF despite member states’ promised additional cash
Most EU leaders accepted on Friday (23 February) that they will add more funds to the EU budget after 2020, but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that funds for farmers and cohesion would still be reduced.
Pro-independence parties win Catalan elections
Pro-independence parties won an absolute majority of seats during regional elections held in Catalonia on Thursday (21 December), despite the 'unionist' party Ciudadanos coming on top.
Catalan campaigning wraps up ahead of crucial vote
Campaigning drew to a close on Tuesday (19 December) in Catalonia's regional election, a potential turning point in Spain's worst political crisis in decades.
Macron convinces Merkel to hold key debate on future of euro in March
Amid the political paralysis in Germany, EU leaders decided on Friday (15 December) to postpone for March a “strategic political discussion” on the future of the eurozone and adopt a 'reform roadmap' in June.
France, Portugal and Spain to attend mini energy summit
Portugal will organise early next year a summit dedicated solely to energy interconnectors, as lawmakers work to end the Iberian peninsula’s energy market isolation.
Bulgaria’s Simeon: Time to leave a mark after so many years of isolation
In an exclusive interview in his Vrana Palace near Sofia on 17 November 2017, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha shared his thoughts on the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. A version of this interview on the website BulgarianPresidency.eu contains the original transcript in Bulgarian.
Rajoy vows to defeat separatists in Catalan election
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Tuesday (14 November) he hopes to defeat separatists in next month's Catalan election, which will be dominated by regional lawmakers' independence drive, calling for a "massive" turnout by voters.
Hundreds rally in Brussels for Catalan independence
Several hundred people rallied in Brussels on Sunday (12 November) to back the independence push in Catalonia, slam the EU and demand Spain release jailed regional officials.
Puigdemont says will stay in Belgium, accept snap election
Dismissed Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is not seeking political asylum in Belgium and will not return to Spain until he is guaranteed a fair trial, he told a packed news conference in Brussels’ European quarter on Tuesday (31 October).
Rajoy sacks Catalan government, calls snap election
Spain on Friday (27 October) sacked Catalonia’s regional government, dissolved the Catalan parliament and called a snap election in the region for 21 December, in a bid to draw a line under Spain’s worst political crisis in 40 years.
Catalan parliament defies Madrid, declares independence
Catalonia's parliament declared independence from Spain in a historic vote on Friday (27 October), setting the scene for a showdown with Madrid, which has announced it would strip the breakaway region of its autonomy.
Moedas: ‘What’s going around in Spain is very difficult for all sides’
Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation admitted that the dramatic events and tensions in Spain over Catalonia were “very difficult for all the sides”, but repeated the official position of the EU executive that the constitutional order in Spain should prevail.
Catalonia warns of civil disobedience as Madrid readies direct rule
Catalonia said on Monday it was confident all officials including police would defy attempts by Madrid to enforce direct rule on the region, in an escalating dispute that has raised fears of unrest among Spain's European allies.
Catalan separatists weigh options ahead of crucial week
Catalonia's separatists weighed their options on Sunday (22 October) ahead of a week that will see Spain take the drastic step of sacking the region's government as well as calling fresh elections to try and stop the country breaking up.
Only Belgium breaks ranks in EU unity with Madrid
As the Spanish government vowed to take back powers from the Catalan regional government, EU leaders closed ranks behind Madrid on the first day of the EU summit yesterday (19 October), with only Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel urging moderation and dialogue.
Rajoy to trigger Article 155 on Catalonia: what does it mean?
The Spainsh government will trigger Article 155, a constitutional process that will strip Catalonia of its regional autonomy. But how will the process work? EURACTIV Spain reports.
Spain moves to suspend Catalonia’s autonomy
Spain will move to suspend Catalonia's autonomy, the government said on Thursday (18 October), after Catalan President Carles Puigdemont refused to drop the region's drive to break away from Madrid following the 1 October independence vote.
EU summit begins with ultimatum day in Catalonia
Spain's political showdown with Catalonia is set to reach a new level on Thursday (19 October) when political leaders in Madrid and Barcelona are expected to make good on pledges made to their supporters to stick to their tough positions over the region's future.
Independent observers: No proper referendum took place in Catalonia
Catalonia's independence vote held on 1 October failed to meet the international standards to be considered as a referendum, the head of the international observation mission told EURACTIV.com on Wednesday (18 October).