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WHAT CHANGES IN SPAIN

EXPLAINED: What changes about life in Spain in September 2023

A new animal welfare law, rent freezes, taxi driver protests, driving licence swaps, regional holidays, festivals, perhaps even a new government, and plenty more. There's lots going on in Spain in September as the country gets back to work.

Published: 24 August 2023 12:53 CEST
Updated: 1 September 2023 08:08 CEST
EXPLAINED: What changes about life in Spain in September 2023
Taxi driver protests in Barcelona, a new animal welfare coming into force, and wine harvest festivals, just three of the changes in store for people in Spain in September 2023. Photos: Josep Lago, Miguel Riopa, Oscar del Pozo/AFP

Vote for a new government?

The ongoing, rather drawn out political process following Spain’s indecisive July general election will carry on into September, with centre-right Partido Popular (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo (who won the most votes in the election but lacks a majority to govern) set to have a crack at forming a government from Wednesday the 26th, with a vote the following day.

READ ALSO: Feijóo’s bid to be Spain’s PM after parliament vote is doomed – what will happen next?

Feijóo has until then to try and negotiate a governable majority with other parties, but following the Socialist (PSOE) victory in the election of Congress speaker last week, it seems unlikely the PP will have the numbers to get an absolute majority.

Another general election could loom in early 2024.

 Spain’s animal welfare law comes into effect

On September 29th, Spain’s animal welfare law (‘Ley de bienestar animal‘) comes into effect. The wide ranging bill, which includes a whopping 81 different articles, enters into force partially completed because the regulations were interrupted by the July general election.

READ ALSO: UPDATE: Seven key points from Spain’s new animal welfare law

Highlights of the legislation include obliging dog owners to take out civil liability insurance and the mandatory surgical sterilisation of cats. Under the new rules, parts may not be left alone unsupervised for more than three days, or 24 hours in the case of dogs.

Rent freeze in Catalonia

The Catalan Generalitat is expected to implement a rent freeze in as many as 140 municipalities across the region in September, which between them are home to around 80 percent of the population.

Rental freezes in Spain can be implemented when an area is declared a “stressed residential market” according to Spain’s housing legislation.

New job contract conditions

September 1st is an important date for many Spanish companies and workers because a raft of important changes in labour legislation come into force that will impact on any contracts signed after that date.

These changes introduce a new system of incentives for hiring, with a special focus on permanent contracts and vulnerable groups, particularly women and the long-term unemployed, the over 45s and young people under 30.

September events and festivals in Spain

Summer may be almost over but Spain still has plenty of events and festivals you can enjoy in September, which is traditionally the month of grape harvest festivals. There are various wine exhibitions and tastings organised during the month, notably those held in Jerez and Logroño. 

September is also a time when some of Spain’s most important annual festivals take place, such as the Feria de Albacete, and various historical events and re-enactments are held, such as like the Fiestas de Carthagineses y Romanos, and the Fiestas del Motín in Aranjuez. 

Barcelona taxi drivers ‘slow march’

On September 5th taxi drivers from the biggest cab driver’s union in Barcelona are set to try and shut down the city centre with a slow march protest fines for boycotting Uber in the city.

Valencia market stalls up for grabs

From 6th September you can sell your products in Valencia’s markets if you decide to go for one of the 300 stalls that Valencia City Council has put up for auction.

The iconic Mercat Central has the most stalls on offer, with 84 available.

UK drivers licence swap

September also brings an important deadline for British drivers in Spain. The UK Embassy in Madrid has reminded UK driving licence holders living in Spain since before March 16th 2023 to exchange their permits for Spanish ones or they won’t be able to drive in Spain after September 16th.

In mid-March 2023, Spain’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the long-awaited post-Brexit UK-Spain driving licence deal had been approved and that those with UK licences could get back on the road while they waited to exchange it.

Regional holidays

There are no national holidays in Spain in September, but there will be a number of regional holidays across the country throughout the month.

READ ALSO: Calendar: When are Spain’s public holidays in 2023?

These include:

Diada (Catalonia Day) on September 11th.

15th September (Cantabira’s Día de La Bien Aparecida)

8th September (Asturias Day)

8th September (Extremadura Day)

2nd September (Ceuta Day)

Various island holidays in the Canary Islands:

8th September (Día de Nuestra Señora del Pino, Gran Canaria)

15th September (Día de Nuestra Señora de Los Volcanes: Lanzarote, La Graciosa and Fuerteventura)

25th September (Día de Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, El Hierro)

September weather forecast

Following an absolutely scorching summer in Spain, what does the weather forecast look like for September?

Thankfully, Spain’s state meteorological agency AEMET has predicted an overall drop in temperatures, but minimum values will continue to be quite high though generally normal temperatures are expected for the time of year. 

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WHAT CHANGES IN SPAIN

KEY POINTS: Everything that changes in Spain in May 2024

Mortgage price drops, help for young people to buy a house, new obesity medication, Catalan elections, lots of fiestas, public holidays and more - here's what's in store for Spain in May 2024.

Published: 29 April 2024 17:41 CEST
Updated: 1 May 2024 06:26 CEST
KEY POINTS: Everything that changes in Spain in May 2024

May 1st public holiday
El Día del Trabajador or Labour Day in Spain is a public holiday in Spain’s 17 autonomous communities and is held on May 1st. In 2024, May 1st will fall on a Wednesday, mid-week.

It will be a holiday in all regions across Spain, so no matter where you live you will most likely have this day off. Schools, most businesses and shops will also be closed on this day. 

May 2nd holiday in Madrid 
May 2nd is also a public holiday in Madrid and commemorates the day in 1808 when the population rose up against Napoleon’s troops in the Peninsula War.

Refusing to give into French demands to surrender, the Spanish made their last stand in an archway to the barracks before being killed.

Schools will be closed and streets of Malasaña will be filled with art, music, dancing and events to mark Dos de Mayo including stages set up in Plaza Commendadores, Conde Duque, Plaza San Ildefonso.

READ ALSO: What is ‘Dos de Mayo’ and why does Madrid celebrate it?

Number of tourists to soar
While officially May is the shoulder season in Spain, its good weather marks the start of the mass tourist arrivals, which usually reach their pinnacle in July and August.

The Ministry of Industry and Tourism is anticipating a surge in the number of tourists this May, however, with 9.49 million expected to arrive in May. This will be 14 percent more than in the same month of 2023, according to forecasts by Turespaña. It’s estimated tourists will spend almost €12,000 million in the fifth month of 2024, an increase of around 22 percent compared to the same period last year.

Catalan regional elections
Catalonia’s President Pere Aragonès announced in mid-March that he was dissolving the Spanish region’s parliament and would call early elections, after his proposed budget was rejected by the assembly.

This means that the new elections will be held on May 12th. Originally, they been set for early 2025. May 2nd is the last day to request a vote by mail, while May 6th is last day to vote by mail. On May 10th marks the electoral campaign ends at midnight and then May 12th will be the actual election day. 

Vigo Airport to close for refurbishment
Back in October 2023, the city of Vigo in Galicia announced that its airport would close in order to carry out refurbishments. The comprehensive remodel on the airport’s runway will leave the city without a working airport for almost the entire month of May, meaning no flights will be running in or out of the city. It will last from May 6th to the 30th and will include an investment of €30 million for the rehabilitation of its 2,400-meter deteriorated runway.

Two exclusive international flights from Barcelona
Barcelona-El Prat Airport will launch an exclusive route directly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. In the month of May, Vietnam Airlines will operate two special flights, according to the Aeroinfo Barcelona-El Prat X (formerly Twitter) account. The first flight will take place on May 1st and the second on May 8th.

So far only these two flights have been announced and there are no more guarantees for future flights directly between Barcelona and the Vietnamese, so you might want to take advantage while you can.

Mortgage price drop for 4 million households

Banks are preparing to reduce mortgage re-payments, on average, by around €50 per month starting in the second half of the year. The fall in interest rates will be welcome news for four million people who have variable-rate mortgages and have seen their payments increase month after month, in recent years.

The 12-month Euribor averaged 3.609 percent in January, below the 3.679 percent in December. This is the third consecutive month that this index has fluctuated downwards. 

Help for young people to buy a house 
Starting in May, banks could help young people and families with children to buy a home by giving them access to state-backed mortgages. This measure will allow some 50,000 beneficiaries to access mortgage loans on favorable conditions, with the possibility of financing up to 100 percent of their first home.  It will be available for all those under the age of 35 with an annual income less than €37,800 gross and for families with children under their care, providing that they haven’t bought a property previously.  

READ ALSO: Spain’s govt to act as first home guarantor for young people and families

New obesity medication
From May 1st, one of the most anticipated drugs to fight obesity will become available in Spain. It has been developed by Novo Nordisk and is called Wegovy. The Danish company has warned that “given the unprecedented high global demand for Wegovy, the supply of this drug will be carried out in a limited and responsible manner in each country. It’s not currently included as part of the National Health System.

The new drug is a physiological regulator of appetite and calories and deals with receptors in the brain.

Help to complete annual tax return for over-65s
The income tax campaign for 2023-2024 is well underway, but many taxpayers are finding it difficult to complete their tax returns. Among them, those over 65 years of age tend to be the group with the greatest problems.

In order to solve this issue, the government is promoting a special aid plan for them, which will be offered in more than 500 small municipalities, in 46 provinces, with less than 3,000 inhabitants. Help will be offered from May 7th in collaboration with the different town councils. In order to benefit from it you will have to make an appointment starting on April 29th.  

Mother’s Day on May 5th

Unlike Father’s Day in Spain, which is always celebrated on the fiesta of San José on March 19th, Mother’s Day changes each year.

It is celebrated on the first Sunday in May, which this year will fall on May 5th. Spain has been celebrating Mother’s Day in this way, changing each year for the past 59 years.

It is typically celebrated by children giving gifts to their mothers and going for celebratory family meals.

Teachers’ strike in Valencia region

Teachers from public schools and institutes in the region of Valencia are set to go on strike on Thursday, May 23rd, according to The Platform in Defence of Public Education. The platform has called on teachers and families from all non-university public education establishments to participate in the mobilisation.

Students will also be able to join the strike from 3rd year of secondary school. The walkout will be staged in order to put a stop to cuts and force a negotiation that improves the conditions of the teachers and schools. 

A month of fiestas

May is a month packed full of festivals in Spain, particularly in the south of the country and the city of Córdoba. Córdoba in fact has a whole month of celebrations in May beginning with the Cruces de Mayo from April 26th to May 1st, where flower-adorned crosses will be set up across the city. This will be closely followed by the Patios Festival from May 2nd to 12th, in which visitors can see inside the city’s private walled gardens, decorated with flowers for the occasion.

A couple of hours to the southwest the Romería del Rocío will be taking place in the small Huelvan village from May 17th to the 20th. During the event more than one million people will make the pilgrimage to Rocío, many on horseback, filling its sandy streets with a lively atmosphere.

While in northern Spain, there are more flowery scenes at the Temps de Flors in the Catalan city of Girona. During the festival held from May 11th to the 19th, elaborate art installations created from plants and flowers will be set up across the historic Jewish quarter, city walls, cathedrals and churches.

Weather in May
According to meteorologists from Eltiempo.es this May will be warmer than normal throughout Spain, although the northwest and north of the peninsula will experience lower temperatures than the rest of the country.

The month will begin, however with above-average rainfall in the northeast of the peninsula, including the Balearic Islands, the Pyrenees, northern Aragón, Catalonia and Navarra. Rainfall is predicted to be slightly below average in the Canary Islands and some areas of southern Andalusia.

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