The Madrid City Council has given Casa Árabe until September 1 to vacate its emblematic headquarters in the Escuelas Aguirre building, escalating a dispute at the center of tensions over Spain’s foreign policy. The city says the move is necessary because of structural issues and urgent repairs, drawing sharp criticism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister José Manuel Albares accused the Partido Popular (PP) of deliberately undermining Spain’s relations with the Arab world, calling the eviction the latest in a series of confrontations between the national government and PP-led institutions.
Casa Árabe, established 18 years ago as a hub for cultural and diplomatic exchange between Spain and Arab countries, operates under a consortium that includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and AECID, as well as the Junta de Andalucía and the city councils of Madrid and Córdoba. Its work also connects with Spain’s diplomatic training network: the Foreign Ministry’s 2022 course listing documents a program organized jointly by the Escuela Diplomática and Casa Árabe. The building, a neo-Mudejar landmark on Calle de Alcalá, has hosted countless public events and forms part of Spain’s broader network of public diplomacy centers. Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, argues that the institution’s activity and staffing do not justify its continued use of such a prominent property. He also blamed former director Irene Lozano for financial mismanagement, though she left the post more than a year ago.
The city council has not disclosed future plans for the Escuelas Aguirre building, saying only that it aims to return the space to general public use. Officials have offered to help the Foreign Ministry find a new location for Casa Árabe but have ruled out providing another municipally owned property. The eviction follows the Community of Madrid’s earlier decision to withdraw from the Casa Árabe consortium, citing financial irregularities flagged by the Tribunal de Cuentas for 2023-24.
The local dispute comes amid broader clashes between the PP and the central government over basic international agreements. Albares has accused the PP of blocking ratification of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with France, signed in Barcelona in 2023, after the party initiated a constitutional review in the Senate. The PP has also criticized the provisional implementation of the EU-UK Gibraltar agreement, which led to the demolition of La Verja. It has called the agreement a “fraud” and accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of bypassing parliamentary approval and weakening Spain’s negotiating position post-Brexit.
Within the PP, views on the Gibraltar deal are divided. Andalusian president Juan Manuel Moreno welcomed the removal of the border fence as positive for the Campo de Gibraltar, while emphasizing the need for real fiscal equality. Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also called for fiscal parity, stressing that any agreement must protect Spain’s national interests and be subject to parliamentary oversight.
Throughout the current legislative term, friction between the government and the PP has touched Venezuela policy and military spending commitments, while also reaching the recognition of regional languages in European institutions. The Casa Árabe eviction stands out for its potential impact on Spain’s public diplomacy and cultural outreach in the Arab world.
Casa Árabe has served as a bridge between Spanish and Arab societies through cultural programming and educational initiatives, while also hosting forums for dialogue. Its eviction from basic Madrid could complicate Spain’s efforts to maintain strong ties with Arab countries amid increasingly sensitive international relations. The dispute also shows how municipal decisions can have broader diplomatic repercussions, with potential consequences for Spain’s cultural diplomacy and international partnerships in the years ahead.
