Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Monday

Spain's PM celebrates seven years in government

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Sunday celebrated seven years in power on the anniversary of the confidence vote that ended the previous Mariano Rajoy-led Partido Popular (PP) government and put the Socialists (PSOE) in power.

“Today marks 7 years of progressive governments. 7 years of progress in all areas: growth and job creation, democratic regeneration and international projection, environmental commitment and social progress. The data backs us up,” Sánchez said on X. “We continue with the same enthusiasm and energy as on the first day. Thanks to all of you who make this possible, let's keep going!”

Sánchez, a slick political operator loved by his supporters and despised by many of his opponents the Spanish right, has had an eventful time in La Moncla.

Whether it be battling major global events like the Covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, inflation crisis, and war in the Middle East, or thorny domestic issues like the controversial amnesty deal with Catalan separatists or alleged corruption in his inner-circle, Sánchez never stays out the headlines long.

He and his government have also taken an increased role on the global scene, intervening strongly in issues such as Palestine, for example, and has been one of the few consistent centre-left vo

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Tourist flats outnumber hotel beds in half of Spain's most visited cities

New data has revealed that short-stay tourist flats now outnumber hotel beds in 50 of the 100 most touristy Spanish cities, according to the Atlas of Municipal Contribution to Tourism in Spain recently published by Exceltur.

The proliferation of tourist flats around Spain in recent years has been blamed for the increased pressure and price rises in local rental markets and were the object of anger among locals during last year’s wave of anti-tourism protests.

Based on analysis of 500 destinations around the country, the study notes that the volume of beds in holiday homes and tourist flats has increased by 25.3 percent since 2022, while there’s been just a 2 percent increase in hotel bed spaces available.

Two Scots shot dead in seventh shooting in 45 days on the Costa del Sol

Two Scottish men were killed in a shooting on the seafront promenade in the town of Fuengirola, Málaga, on Saturday night.

The emergency services were alerted at 23:28 hours, after which police officers were deployed to the area. The shooting took place on the Rey de España promenade, next to the Martín Playa beach bar, sources from the emergency services told Spanish news agency EFE.

The well-known tourist area of the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, also long a popular resort for organised crime groups from around the world, has seen a spike in shootings in recent weeks. Spanish media reports Saturday’s was the seventh in 45 days.

READ MORE: Costa del Crime - Why Spain is home to many foreign criminals and fugitives

Spain inflation falls below target in May

Spanish inflation dipped below the European Central Bank's two percent target in May, preliminary data showed recently, boosting the case for more interest rate cuts in the eurozone.

Consumer price rises in the European Union's fourth-largest economy slowed to 1.9 percent on an annual basis, down from 2.2 percent in April, the National Statistics Institute said.

The decline was mainly driven by a decrease in leisure and cultural prices, which had spiked in May 2024 and a slight decrease in transportation costs, the agency said in a statement.

The drop reinforces a trend of slowing inflation in Spain and the rest of the eurozone in recent months.