AGP Executive Report

Bilbao Unrest: Nineteen people were arrested after a protest against far-right influencer Vito Quiles turned violent, with cars and a police motorcycle set ablaze. Football: Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice. At the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Harry Kane took the men’s prize while Spain’s Alexia Putellas won her third women’s award and Lamine Yamal claimed the Kopa Trophy. China Backlash: Mbappé apologised over a remark about a Mao meme after Chinese sponsors cut ties and state TV suspended La Liga broadcasts. Cost of Living: Food prices have risen 31.8% since late 2021, outpacing wage growth of 20.7%. Migration: Spain returned 16 asylum seekers from Ceuta to Morocco, prompting rights groups to warn of risks to those deported. Election Campaign: The PP and Vox have agreed to join forces in the Senate race ahead of Spain’s November 29 snap election. Transfer Dispute: Barcelona was fined just €602 over Atlético Madrid’s complaint about its approach to Julián Álvarez.

Football Awards: Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, but Spain dominated the ceremony’s other headlines: Alexia Putellas claimed a record-equalling third women’s title, Lamine Yamal won his third straight Kopa Trophy and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was named best men’s coach after the World Cup triumph. El Clásico: Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to cut the leaders’ advantage to three points. Barcelona defender Xavi Espart will miss around seven weeks with an ankle injury. Copa del Rey: The first round begins Tuesday, with lower-league clubs hosting top-flight sides; Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad enter later. Housing: Rising prices are putting home ownership and affordable rent further out of reach for working households, as house prices have climbed far faster than wages over the past decade. Bus Crash: More than 80 people were injured when a bus plunged off a road in Barcelona province; seven were reported in serious condition.

El Clásico: Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou as Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including an 87th-minute winner, cutting the gap to the LaLiga leaders to three points. Coach José Mourinho urged his team to focus on the title, while Madrid await medical tests on captain Federico Valverde after he left with muscle pain. Bus Crash: A bus plunged down an embankment near Barcelona, injuring 87 people; seven were seriously hurt. An investigation is under way. Politics: The PP and Vox agreed to coordinate Senate candidates in 23 provinces ahead of Spain’s November 29 election, aiming to strengthen the right’s influence in the upper house. Economy: Industrial prices rose 18.3% year on year in September, driven largely by soaring energy costs. Housing: Spain’s consumer affairs ministry is seeking the removal of 8,318 holiday-rental adverts alleged to breach rules on temporary lets. Royal Family: King Felipe VI left hospital after cataract surgery and is expected to resume his official schedule.

Barcelona Unrest: Police arrested 128 people after overnight looting and vandalism, including 73 minors. Fifteen officers were injured and 23 premises damaged. Bus Crash: A bus plunged down a 20-metre embankment near Fogars de Montclús, injuring 83 people; seven were seriously hurt. The cause is under investigation. El Clásico: Kylian Mbappé scored twice as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou, ending Barça’s perfect league start and cutting the gap at the top to three points. Royal Update: King Felipe VI was discharged after cataract surgery and is due to resume his official duties on Monday.

El Clásico: Barcelona host Real Madrid tonight with a six-point lead and a perfect nine wins from nine in La Liga. A victory would stretch the gap to nine points; Real will be without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, ruled out with flu, with Andriy Lunin expected to start. Atlético Madrid: Julián Álvarez scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Deportivo, moving Atlético to 25 points and within two of leaders Barcelona. Madrid traditions: About 1,250 sheep and 160 goats paraded through the capital for the annual Transhumance Festival. The route was changed to avoid a housing protest camp in Puerta del Sol. Housing protests: After 29 days in the square, campers have begun preparing a gradual withdrawal, with some aiming to shift focus to a November 11 housing strike. Royal health: King Felipe VI has left hospital after uncomplicated cataract surgery and is expected to resume official duties on Monday. Farm protest: Farmers and ranchers plan a tractor demonstration in Madrid on Wednesday, citing rising costs and low prices for their produce.

La Liga: Atlético beat Deportivo 1-0 through Julián Álvarez’s second-half goal, moving within two points of Barcelona. Álvarez also apologised to fans for trying to leave in the summer. Barcelona host Real Madrid in Sunday’s Clásico, with José Mourinho’s side six points behind the league leaders. Protests: Around 100 people were arrested after unrest in Barcelona, where shops were looted and fires set; about a quarter of those detained were minors, Catalonia’s interior minister said. Royal Health: King Felipe VI had routine cataract surgery in Oviedo. The operation was uneventful, and he was due to stay overnight. Pensions: Thousands rallied in Madrid for guarantees that state pensions will keep pace with inflation. Organisers estimated 50,000 attendees; the government put the figure at 25,000.

El Clásico: Barcelona host Real Madrid on Sunday, with a chance to extend their perfect league start to 10 wins and move nine points clear. Hansi Flick says compact positioning is key to containing Kylian Mbappé; José Mourinho is keeping Madrid’s tactics under wraps. Pensions and Cost of Living: Around 250,000 people marched in Madrid demanding guarantees for the state pension system, as inflation-linked increases and living costs fuel debate ahead of next month’s election. Democracy: King Felipe VI urged people to sustain their commitment to democracy, saying it does not end with an election. Tourism and Housing: Spain is moving to remove more than 8,300 holiday-rental listings under a new rule targeting short-term lets. Sports Honour: Lionel Messi received Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, becoming the first footballer to win it individually.

Royal Award: Lionel Messi received Spain’s Princess of Asturias sports prize in Oviedo, becoming the first footballer to win it individually. Princess Leonor presented the award, which recognized his career and charitable work. Housing: Consumer Affairs has ordered two platforms to remove 8,318 listings advertised as seasonal rentals but bookable for fewer than 31 days. Madrid accounts for most; the platforms could face penalties if the adverts remain online. El Clásico: Barcelona host Real Madrid on Sunday, with José Mourinho returning to the fixture as Madrid’s coach and Barcelona looking to extend their lead at the top of La Liga. Energy: Spain will release 4.4 million barrels of diesel and jet fuel from private strategic stocks by December 15, its second release under an International Energy Agency plan. Travel: Renfe will scrap advance seat reservations on selected regional routes from December 12. Spain and Italy have also agreed to lift border checks imposed after the Ceuta migration crisis.

Election & AI: A deepfake campaign video from Spain’s opposition PP has sparked outrage ahead of the Nov. 29 election, renewing concerns about AI-generated political disinformation. Ceuta: City president Juan Jesús Vivas will join a Madrid protest on Sunday, where residents are demanding stronger border resources and urgent measures after July’s mass migrant arrivals. Technology: Aragón firm Krolmap is planning a €1.5 billion, 225MW off-grid data centre near Zaragoza; separately, AI is helping drive a record 26.5% of Spanish startups to have a single founder. Royal Spotlight: Princess Leonor held her first solo reception for Princess of Asturias award winners in Oviedo and presented Lionel Messi with his sports award insignia. El Clásico: Barcelona host Real Madrid on Sunday with a six-point lead; Barça could stretch it to nine, but defender Jules Kounde is doubtful. Motorsport: IndyCar will bring a race to Barcelona in July 2027, giving Spanish champion Alex Palou a home event. Storms: A huge wave struck a Basque television reporter during a live broadcast; no injuries were reported.

Housing Protests: Hundreds of tents fill a central Madrid square, where demonstrators have camped for more than three weeks demanding action on rents and evictions. Jobs and Industry: Spain’s tech firms pay an average €47,300 a year but 90% say they struggled to recruit staff. Meanwhile, Leapmotor has begun making its B10 at Stellantis’s Zaragoza plant, with a second model planned. Migration: Spain and Italy have ended airport and port border checks introduced after the Ceuta crisis. Spanish police are also investigating allegations that children were left alone in Granada to seek residency rights. Energy Dispute: Spain won a key step in a long-running fight over renewable-energy subsidies, persuading a Belgian court to lift an asset freeze on state-owned air-navigation company Enaire. Royal Event: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia joined Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía in Oviedo to open the Princess of Asturias Awards celebrations, with Lionel Messi in Spain to receive the sports prize.

Autonomous Mobility: Waymo is preparing Madrid road tests, aiming to launch commercial robotaxis in 2027. Health Watch: Spain has stepped up surveillance of the Shamonda virus after a first reported human death in France; detections are confirmed on Spanish farms, but authorities say there is no identified risk to the general public. Energy: Brent crude climbed above $112 a barrel, raising concern about the impact on fuel and household costs in Spain. Universities: Students at Madrid’s six public universities plan two strike days in November over funding and campus conditions. Royal Events: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia welcome Princess Leonor and award winners, including Lionel Messi, to the Princess of Asturias ceremony in Oviedo on Friday. Football: Real Madrid beat Leipzig 4-1, while Spain’s sports council referred LaLiga chief Javier Tebas to a tribunal over comments about the club; Madrid and Barcelona meet Sunday in El Clásico. Borders: Spain and Italy have ended temporary border checks imposed after the Ceuta migration crisis, restoring Schengen rules. Housing: Madrid’s government delegate has urged the city council to respond to homeless people sheltering at Puerta del Sol.

Football: Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 to make it three wins from three in the Champions League, with Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande scoring ahead of Sunday’s Clásico. Real Betis also kept a perfect record, beating Feyenoord 1-0. Politics: Spain strongly condemned Argentine President Javier Milei’s insults against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during his Madrid visit, calling his remarks an attack on the country’s institutions. Severe Weather: Storm Adam brought deadly flooding to eastern Spain, killing at least five people and forcing thousands to evacuate; cleanup is under way. Housing: Spain’s housing strain remains in focus, with student accommodation expanding as shortages deepen and new rental restrictions raising concerns among investors.

Election Tensions: Spain condemned Argentine President Javier Milei’s Madrid visit after he called Pedro Sánchez a “dictator” and urged voters to oust him ahead of the November 29 election. Sánchez answered with an ironic welcome, proudly embracing Milei’s “leftie” insult. Housing: The government will spend €45 million to co-fund nearly 2,000 university housing places as high rents and evictions deepen the crisis. Storm Recovery: Deadly flooding in eastern Spain has left at least four people dead; cleanup is under way as residents recover from Storm Adam. Separately, the European Parliament approved €149.1 million for Spain’s recovery from earlier storms. Social Support: New reforms widen survivor-pension access for unmarried parents and increase support for families caring for seriously ill children. Discrimination: FIFA fined Spain’s football federation $20,000 and ordered at least 15% of stands closed at its next home friendly after anti-Muslim chants at a match against Egypt. Tourism: Exporters are urging Spain to focus on higher-value, more sustainable tourism rather than simply chasing record visitor numbers.

Deadly Floods: Storm Adam has killed at least five people in eastern Spain, with residents rescued from rooftops and thousands evacuated as torrential rain swamped towns and disrupted travel. Housing Crisis: Tens of thousands protested in Madrid and Barcelona over soaring rents and evictions, after the eviction and death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal became a rallying point. Election Campaign: With national elections set for November 29, the conservative PP is negotiating with Vox, while left-wing groups are discussing electoral coordination with the PSOE. Migration: After arrivals in Ceuta, the EU is debating whether mass influxes alone should allow emergency asylum restrictions; Donald Trump accused Spain of failing to respond to the crisis. Football: Atlético Madrid drew 1-1 at Stuttgart, with Ademola Lookman setting up Julián Álvarez’s equaliser. Barcelona lost 4-2 to PSG, ending its 11-match winning run.

Storm Emergency: Storm Adam has killed at least five people in Spain, triggering mass evacuations and hundreds of rescues across the east. Authorities reported severe flooding, with some residents winched from rooftops. Election Campaign: With Spain’s snap election set for November 29, Catalan leader Salvador Illa warned voters they must choose between a government that backs Catalan self-government and one that would curb it. Housing is also emerging as a key issue for young left-leaning voters. Care Delays: Spain’s long-term care waiting list has fallen by nearly 40,000 in a year, but 134,734 people had still waited more than six months as of September. Average processing takes 529 days in Murcia. Environment: The Mar Menor’s long-snouted seahorse is now officially classed as vulnerable after its population fell by about 99%; Murcia must draw up a conservation plan within five years. Football: Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 before Sunday’s Clásico, but fresh footage has renewed debate over a possible foul in the build-up to Kylian Mbappé’s goal.

Flood Emergency: Storm Adam has killed at least four people in eastern Spain, where torrential rain flooded Valencia and Alicante, cut off towns and stranded residents on rooftops. Crews rescued more than 450 people; most shelter-in-place orders were later lifted. Catalan Politics: A Supreme Court judge has upheld the removal of arrest warrants for Carles Puigdemont and two former ministers, clearing the way for them to return to Spain. The ruling does not grant amnesty; criminal proceedings remain unresolved. Housing: Rent protests and tent camps across Spain reflect growing frustration over homes becoming unaffordable. Football Feud: Barcelona president Joan Laporta backed LaLiga chief Javier Tebas as Real Madrid’s public row with the league and refereeing bodies escalates. Consumer Alert: Spain’s securities regulator warned of fake investment websites impersonating legitimate firms, including MyInvestor.