SpainOwnership & classification
Founded: 1976
Ownership
El País, founded in 1976, is the flagship daily of Grupo PRISA (Promotora de Informaciones). PRISA's largest shareholder is Joseph Oughourlian, founder of the activist fund Amber Capital, who holds roughly 29-30% (indirectly via Amber Capital UK / Oviedo Holdings) and chairs PRISA's board. Other significant shareholders include Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, Banco Santander and Vivendi.
Funding
Financed commercially through advertising, newsstand sales and an extensive digital subscription/paywall, within the PRISA group that also owns Cadena SER radio and the Santillana education business; it carries the debt and investor structure of a listed media group.
Affiliation & stance
Centre-left and strongly pro-European in editorial stance, Spain's leading reference daily. It is owned by a publicly listed commercial group led by financial investors, with no party or state control of the newsroom, which makes it INDEPENDENT.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Lean Left
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 553
80/100
Factual
73/100
Objective
852
Articles
852
reports
Top stories
Most covered right now
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A DAO assistant from the Civil Guard states that the heads of Balas refused to feel pressured by internal investigations
CGPJ starts process to decide whether to open file to Judge Peinado
Interior rectifies and ensures that the pilot plan in Catalonia to introduce mossos in institutes continues
Keir Starmer will announce his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Monday, according to various media reports.
"If Gaudí was imprisoned for speaking Catalan, how are we not going to pressure the Pope to speak it in the Sagrada Familia?"
Venezuela desperately searches for 50,000 missing after earthquakes
Recent coverage
Illa asks the UME for help to control the fire in the Empordà that has already forced the confinement of the neighbors of several Gerundese populations
A large forest fire has erupted in La Bisbal d'Empordà and Vilavenut, in Girona, Catalonia, prompting President Salvador Illa to request assistance from the Military Emergency Unit (UME). The blaze, which began on Friday morning, has forced residents of several nearby towns into confinement due to smoke and safety concerns. Initial investigations suggest the fire was caused by mechanical work on a road, though this remains under investigation. The fire has affected approximately 250 hectares and is spreading through the Gavarres mountain range, driven by strong winds. Local authorities have ordered the temporary closure of areas including Calonge i Sant Antoni, Castell d'Aro, and others, while firefighters deploy 53 units, including 11 aerial teams, to combat the flames. Over 150 children at a summer camp in La Bisbal d'Empordà were evacuated as a precaution but are reported to be safe. The situation remains active and unpredictable, with forecasts indicating a shift in wind direction that could alter the fire’s spread.
The search for survivors enters critical hours in Venezuela, where there are already more than 1,000 dead
A critical search for survivors continues in Venezuela four days after two powerful earthquakes killed at least 1,450 people. President Delcy Rodríguez, who has been acting president since January, urged ongoing rescue efforts and announced plans to assist those displaced by the collapses. Rescue teams, both national and international, are working primarily in La Guaira, where the most severe damage occurred. The death toll includes 17 Spanish nationals, 7 Portuguese, 46 Lusophone descendants, and 3 Chileans. Over 3,150 people were reported injured, though this number was slightly lower than previously stated without explanation. At least 33 survivors have been rescued. The government also announced the creation of a commission to assess infrastructure damage using traffic light color codes to determine habitability. Public transportation services in several cities have resumed. Rodríguez extended school closures and announced the formation of a task force to establish temporary shelters and expedite housing projects.
Moreno limits the scope of the 'national priority' agreed with Vox: "It is a lie that migrants are going to be left without healthcare or children are going to be excluded from school"
The article discusses the interpretation of the 'priority national' policy agreed upon between Juanma Moreno, president of Andalusia, and Vox. Moreno clarifies that the policy does not deny services to immigrants, emphasizing that the principle of 'nationality' will not determine access to public services or subsidies. Instead, he states that 'rooting in the territory' will be considered, which already exists in some benefit criteria. However, Vox's spokesperson, Manuel Gavira, suggests additional conditions beyond rooting, implying that Spaniards would have priority access to resources during budget constraints. The disagreement highlights differing views on the scope of the agreement, though both parties maintain their positions.
The sisters of Jonathan Andic defend their innocence and assure that they will resume the idea of their father to create a foundation
Jonathan Andic has received new support from his two sisters, Judith and Sarah, who testified before the judge investigating the death of their father, Isak Andic, founder of Mango. The sisters defended Jonathan's innocence and confirmed they were aware of their father’s intention to create a charitable foundation, which he wished to establish as a legacy beyond his fashion empire. The investigation into Isak Andic’s death, which occurred during a mountain trip with Jonathan in December 2024, focuses on whether he fell or was pushed. There is no direct evidence, but the case against Jonathan relies on circumstantial evidence, including potential economic motives linked to the proposed foundation. Estefanía Knuth, Isak’s former partner, previously testified that the planned foundation would have deprived the children of significant inheritance, contradicting the sisters' claims that the family was informed and agreed on the management of their father’s assets. The sisters emphasized that any financial transfers between siblings were balanced.
¿Quiénes han solicitado la regularización? Sus datos por nacionalidad, edad y sexo
The deadline for applying for extraordinary regularization of immigrants in Spain ended on June 30. According to initial data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, 11,000 people have been regularized out of 1.174.968 applications submitted, with half of the cases (609,737) already being processed. Nearly seven out of ten applicants (787,235) come from Central and South America, followed by 269,070 from Africa. Colombia leads in terms of nationality with 26% of the applications, ahead of Morocco (13.3%) and Venezuela (11.8%). Almost 80% of the requests come from undocumented migrants living and working in Spain, while 20% are from war-torn countries or other situations threatening their lives who opted for this regularization process instead of international protection. The number of applications varies significantly by province, with Madrid receiving the most (202,424), followed by Barcelona (192,195) and Valencia (74,951). Provinces in Castile and León have the fewest applications, such as Palencia (2,075), Soria (2,069), and Zamora (1,950). Men make up the majority of applicants (669,737) compared to women (505,241), and most are young, with 81% under 45.
Iran fires Ali Khamenei, its former supreme leader, in a plebiscite-like funeral that is expected to draw crowds.
Iran has begun a week of mourning ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who served as the Supreme Leader of the country for nearly 37 years until his death. The funeral, postponed for four months due to the war sparked by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to draw up to 20 million participants. Iranian authorities believe the massive turnout will bolster the legitimacy of the leadership both internationally and domestically. The event is portrayed as a significant moment for reinforcing support among the population.
The prosecutor concludes that Kitchen had "a bastard purpose": "boycott" the case of the B box and "protect" leaders of the PP
The Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor, César de Rivas, has concluded that the 'Kitchen' investigation involved a 'bastard purpose' aimed at 'boycotting' the case against the Popular Party (PP)'s 'box B' and 'protecting' its leaders. The prosecution alleges that police commanders conducted surveillance on the Bárcenas family and stole documents to obstruct the investigation. De Rivas claims that former Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz directed the operation, based on messages sent to his deputy Francisco Martínez, who formalized the plan before a notary. The same phone number used by Martinez was linked to the Ministry of Interior in 2013 and later to the ex-minister in 2019. The prosecutor dismissed the defense argument that Kitchen was an intelligence operation, noting that funds hidden by Bárcenas had already surfaced in Switzerland and that the surveillance and device theft did not align with such an operation. De Rivas emphasized the lack of communication between the accused and judicial authorities like the UDEF, which hindered their ability to contribute to solving the case. He also highlighted the testimony of Inspector Gonzalo Fraga, who supported the authenticity of
Hacienda informs the judge that they are investigating Zapatero and his family
The Spanish Tax Agency has informed Judge José Luis Calama of the National Court that it has initiated fiscal inspections into former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, his wife Sonsoles Espinosa, their daughters Alba and Laura, and their associated companies, including 'What The Fav', along with friend Julio Martínez and several of his businesses. These inspections cover various tax periods, including income tax (IRPF), value-added tax (IVA), and wealth taxes. The investigation is linked to allegations of corruption involving the misuse of influence, particularly regarding the rescue of the airline Plus Ultra in 2021. Judge Calama suspects an organized crime network aimed at hiding commissions through offshore entities like 'Idella Consulenza Strategica' based in Dubai. The probe includes multiple companies connected to Martinez, such as Voli Analítica, Agropecuaria Lucena, and Pickashop, which are suspected of facilitating financial transactions.
The police are looking for Vito Quiles by order of a judge, and the activist will be presented tomorrow "in a police station in Madrid"
Spanish police are searching for far-right activist Vito Quiles after a judge issued an arrest order related to one of several ongoing legal cases against him. Quiles claims this is part of a government campaign to target his political opponents using the justice system. He plans to surrender at a Madrid police station tomorrow alongside his lawyer, Juan Gonzalo Ospina. The exact cause behind the arrest warrant remains unclear, as Quiles' legal team says he may not have received proper notification. Quiles faces multiple charges, including hate crimes, revealing confidential information, and defamation. Some of these cases involve high-profile figures such as Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Sarah Santaolalla, a leftist TV commentator. His legal troubles have led to the revocation of his accreditation to enter the Spanish Congress for three months.
The Andalusian pact: Vox will have a vice presidency in the government of Juanma Moreno, which will be occupied by Manuel Gavira
Juanma Moreno has been elected president of the Andalusian regional government (Junta) with the support of his 53 PP deputies and 15 Vox members, marking the largest backing for any president in Andalusia's history. As part of a coalition agreement, Vox will hold a vice presidency under the new government, with its parliamentary spokesperson, Manuel Gavira, appointed as vice president overseeing the departments of Tourism, Deregulation, Justice, and Local Administration. The deal includes Vox securing a vice presidency in the regional parliament and one of the autonomous-designated senator positions. The agreement, signed by Moreno and Gavira, aims to ensure stability for the next four years and includes approval of four budgets and 150 measures across various sectors. Despite emphasizing differences between the PP and Vox, both parties prioritized common goals, with Moreno highlighting that this is a legislative agreement rather than just an investment pact. The negotiation was tense and time-sensitive, culminating after failed attempts at forming a government earlier in the week.
The Aemet launches the special notice for the second heat wave of the summer, which will hit especially Galicia and the Basque Country
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued an alert for a second heatwave this summer, expected to begin on Sunday and last at least until Tuesday. The warning highlights 'very high and persistent temperatures' across much of Spain, particularly affecting western Galicia during the weekend and the interior of the Basque Country on Monday and Tuesday. Aemet warns of significant danger levels during midday hours, especially for outdoor activities and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with cardiovascular conditions. Nighttime temperatures are also expected to remain very high in several regions. The agency notes that fire risk levels will rise significantly due to high temperatures, potential thunderstorms, strong winds, and accumulated water deficits over the past month. While the alert is initially set to last until Tuesday, there is uncertainty regarding the phenomenon's duration and extent. Temperatures could reach up to 42°C locally in the Ebro Valley, Extremadura, and Andalusia, while the Balearic Islands might see temperatures above 38°C. In addition, parts of the Mediterranean, central, and southern peninsulas may experience nighttime highs,
Luis de la Fuente, after the victory against Austria: "We have touched perfection"
The article discusses Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente after their victory against Austria at the World Cup. It highlights his pragmatic approach to coaching, emphasizing flexibility and trust in players like Unai Simón, who set a record for clean sheets. The piece also reflects on the team's performance, noting how the absence of Lamine Yamal affected their playstyle but how the inclusion of players like Dani Olmo and Pedro Porro helped improve their game. The article mentions some tactical decisions that caused confusion among the squad, such as substituting Olmo with Merino during the match against Uruguay, which was not well received. However, de la Fuente remains committed to his strategy, believing that having Lamine Yamal in the starting lineup has been crucial to their success, with Spain winning all nine matches he has played in major tournaments.
ConConfessions II review: Madonna looks back with pride for her best album in a long time
The article discusses Madonna's new album 'Confessions II' and highlights the song 'Danceteria,' which references her early career beginnings at the New York nightclub of the same name. The piece notes how Madonna reflects on her past, mentioning how she was introduced to the club's influential DJ, Mark Kamins, by Martin Burgoyne and Debi Mazar. It portrays her journey back to her roots through music, emphasizing her connection to the club where she first gained recognition.
Overlooked
Under-reported & one-sided
Germany accuses a Ukrainian of the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline, the most spectacular sabotage since the end of the Cold War
Vox asks the Central Electoral Board to deny the right to vote by mail to Spaniards living abroad
Indignation among diplomats over PP and Vox insinuations about their complicity in alleged electoral fraud
Supreme Court blocks Trump's attempt to change US election rules
US-Iran deal reveals Trump's concessions after three months of war
The president of CEOE Castilla-La Mancha calls "memos" to young people on leave from work: "They take it because their girlfriend has left them"
Spanish Erasmus student complains of gang rape at a nightclub in Milan
