Spain's political polarization intensifies, says former PM Rajoy

Former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told a political conference in Ibiza that Spain is experiencing the greatest level of polarization and division since 1978, calling a political change a "national urgency." He warned that the current government loses votes repeatedly, describing it as a "Frankenstein" majority and lamenting a "large deficit in democratic quality." Rajoy also criticised the administration’s economic narrative, comparing it to that of former President Zapatero in 2010, and highlighted problems such as high debt, low wages, precarious employment and poor productivity. He argued that democracy involves more than winning elections, emphasizing respect for the separation of powers, the judiciary and institutional independence. The remarks came ahead of the People’s Party’s Ibiza conference, where Rajoy urged the party to avoid “stunts driven by fear.”