Economy: Is Spain doing better than France thanks to diametrically opposed political choices?

The label of being the weak link in the eurozone, inherited from the financial crisis of the late 2000s, has been forgotten. In recent years, Spain has reclaimed a place among the major European powers thanks to its strong economic performance. These performances have been praised throughout Europe, and have even earned it the title of the "powerhouse" of the old continent.

Thus, according to the latest estimates published by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, the country on the Iberian Peninsula will post a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 1.3% over the first two quarters of 2025. With an annualized growth rate of 2.8%. The progression is in line with previous years: +2.7% in 2023 and +3.2% in 2024. And the strong momentum is giving rise to numerous journalistic analyses. In particular, an article by BFMTV – in fact a reprint of an AFP dispatch – published on July 29 under the title: "While all of Europe is at a standstill, how is Spain managing to maintain an annual growth rate of 2.8%?"