In recent months, Pedro Sánchez has increasingly become the focus not so much of Spanish but of international media. Inside the country, the Prime Minister rarely gives interviews, while outside Spain he is frequently invited by leading global television networks. During just one week in New York, he gave several interviews to major American outlets and also met with journalists from prominent publications.
This contrast is easy to explain: Sánchez feels much freer on the international stage. His views, especially regarding the situation in Gaza, find support and even set the pace ahead of other European leaders. Recently, France, the United Kingdom, and Portugal recognized Palestine, following the step that Spain took a year and a half ago. The questions he faces abroad mostly concern the economy, where Spain’s performance looks quite impressive compared to other EU countries. Issues of political stability or legal proceedings, which trouble the Spanish opposition, are rarely raised by foreign journalists.
In Spain, however, the situation is different. While Sánchez strengthens his image as a progressive leader at international forums, he faces new challenges at home. Legal cases involving his family continue to dominate the headlines, and the opposition is building its entire strategy around this. Last weekend, upon returning from another trip, the prime minister was met with protests outside the courthouse and yet another summons for his wife. Authorities insist these cases lack serious grounds and will not harm the government, but public attention remains high.
Meanwhile, economic news remains positive: rating agencies are upgrading their assessment of the Spanish economy, and the labor market is showing growth. Nevertheless, the opposition is trying to shift public focus to scandals, avoiding discussions of economic or foreign policy successes. Not everything is smooth within the ruling coalition either: some partners, such as Junts and Podemos, increasingly assert their independence and could block key initiatives, such as the embargo on arms supplies to Israel. The issue of amnesty for Carles Puigdemont remains a major sticking point, and there is complete discord with Podemos within the government.
As Sánchez continues to navigate between international summits and internal turmoil, his political future will depend on whether he can maintain a balance between two worlds—externally, where he is greeted with applause, and internally, where the pressure keeps mounting.
