King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, in Madrid on September 29 for Macron’s first state visit to Spain during his presidency. National anthems played as the military parade unfolded, including a 21-gun salute. The ceremonial welcome carried political weight as France faces a decisive election in April and tensions rise across Europe.
The visit runs through September 30. Spain’s own general election is set for 2027, while extremist parties are gaining ground across Europe. Madrid and Paris want to use the trip to show unity. The Spanish royal household’s official site said the visit aims to strengthen ties, a message echoed by Spanish and international media.
Top officials from Spain and the Community of Madrid attended the public welcome. The royals later hosted a private lunch at the Palacio de La Zarzuela, followed by a closed-door meeting between Macron and King Felipe VI. No details have been released.
Trade between Spain and France is at its peak, and France is now Spain’s biggest trading partner. Still, some issues remain unsettled. The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, signed in Barcelona in January 2023, ran into opposition from PP and Vox, which focused on a clause allowing ministers to attend each other’s cabinet meetings. Spain’s Constitutional Court approved the treaty on September 23, 2026. The Senate rejected it on September 29, the day Macron arrived, as several Spanish outlets reported. The lower house had already passed it, but the upper chamber held out. Energy links are another sore point: France has pushed back against deeper integration, which Spanish economic publications have described as a sensitive issue for both sides.
Security is also on the agenda. Macron has warned about the Russian threat in recent weeks, and Spain shares those concerns. Next week, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will travel to Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia. Their trip will focus on defense and security. Madrid and Paris want a strong Europe ready to face outside pressure together.
Macron’s Madrid schedule includes a stop at SatCen, the EU’s satellite center at Torrejón air base. European officials use the center to track developments in the Sahel and Maghreb, regions linked to migration and trafficking, as well as security threats such as terrorism. Russian and Chinese influence is growing there, while Europe is losing ground and the United States is looking more toward Asia. These are EU priorities and Franco-Spanish concerns.
The gala dinner at the Royal Palace is the ceremonial highlight. Chef Joan Roca will oversee the meal, which is expected to draw about one hundred guests. King Felipe VI and President Macron will speak about the partnership between Spain and France before a toast.
The agenda continues on Wednesday, when the king will join Macron at an economic forum aimed at deepening business ties between Spain and France, the EU’s second- and fourth-largest economies. Macron will also meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The visit will end with a reception at the French ambassador’s residence, where the Macrons will host the Spanish royals.
Macron wants to secure Franco-Spanish cooperation as Europe’s political field shifts.
RTVE reported that Spain’s Constitutional Court unanimously found the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with France constitutional, addressing concerns about the provision allowing ministers from one country to participate in the other’s government meetings. The ruling cleared a legal hurdle, but political divisions in the Senate ultimately stalled the agreement.
