José Manuel Albares

Rule Changes

As of July 2026: Promoting the deal while insisting Spain keeps its sovereignty claim

At midnight, workers who had queued for years at a passport checkpoint walked between Spain and Gibraltar without showing a document. The fence that marked the frontier since 1909 is gone. A treaty between the European Union and the United Kingdom took effect, folding the British territory into Europe's passport-free Schengen zone.

Updated Jul 15

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Implementing Spain's diplomatic downgrade and proposing EU sanctions on Israel

Spain has maintained an ambassador in Israel for over four decades. On March 11, 2026, it formally downgraded the Tel Aviv embassy to a chargé d'affaires—a lower-ranking diplomat signaling deep structural disagreement. The decree, signed by King Felipe VI and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, made Spain the first major EU member to permanently withdraw its ambassador.

Updated May 30