Four Questions to Shape the Spanish Summer of 2016

Four Questions to Shape the Spanish Summer of 2016

Spain is entering summer with a lot of hope and optimism, but there are some questions that are yet to be answered.

The Spanish summer is heating up and expected to

be one of the busiest ever

June means that summer is starting in Europe and Spain isn’t an exception. The hot temperatures may reach Spain sooner than the rest of Europe but it’s only during June when the resorts begin to really fill up.

Now June is here and summer is really starting. It’s expected that this summer will be one to remember for Spain, but why? Here are four reasons the Spanish summer will be spectacular.
1.      Will it be the busiest ever?

When people think of the perfect beach they think about pure white sand, palm trees along the shore, a lovely surf lapping at their toes, a waiter to give them drinks to keep them cool, and no one else around for miles.

Spain, as great as it is, will offer you almost none of that. Spanish beaches are going to be about as far from that as you can get during the summer. Spain is still likely to see its busiest summer ever this year though with more tourists than ever expected. So the beaches of Costa del Sol are going to be packed to the rafters. It seems people will rather deal with this than the alternatives though. Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia are going to have a lot more space on their beaches but this is in part due to the threat of terrorism that is keeping everyone away.

When you add in the affordability of Spain, the choice on offer, and the accessibility, it’s not hard to understand why so many people flock to Spain each year and will do so again this year.

2.      Will there be a new government?

Spain held a general election last December and the outcome was beyond what most would expect. It was known the vote would be close, but no one could have predicted that, six months later, Spain would still not have a government. Mariano Rajoy is acting as the prime minister, a status quo that many Spaniards voted to end.

Unfortunately not enough of them voted against him to secure brand new government. There are perks to each of the parties and, while some coalitions would be good, none have emerged yet. The next general election is planned for June 26^th and it looks like this one could go just how the last one did. Will this deadlock still be there after this second vote? It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen. What is true, and is quite amazing really, is that the Spanish cost of living and economy has done a great job of recovering even without a government.

3.      Will the Brits be gone?

The UK will also be going to the polls this year just a few days before the Spaniards will. They are voting on what could very well be the biggest democratic decision seen in a generation. The British media has been filled with talk about the EU referendum for months now and there are plenty of implications for the Brits living in the European Union, including Spain.

Both sides have their share of scaremongers but in the end there is one fact that remains true; if the Brits vote to stay then things carry on how they always have. Brits in Spain have access to free healthcare, better pensions, and the right to live and work in Spain freely. If the “leave” camp wins then things could get pretty bad and, in the worst case scenario, the relationship between Spain and the UK could be so damaged it is almost impossible for Brits to live in Spain. It’s unlikely, true, but is it worth the risk?

4.      Will Spain be European champions?

Another big unknown ahead for Spain this summer is what will happen to their beloved football team. Just four years ago the Spanish football team was on the verge of winning three major championships in a row as they won the 2008 Euros, the 2010 World Cup, and the 2016 Euros.

Things came to a crashing halt two years ago when the Spanish football team was unceremoniously eliminated from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil during the group stages after being crushed by Holland in a 5-1 defeat. The Dutch aren’t in the Euros this year though and Chile, another major figure from 2014, aren’t in the Euros for geographical reasons. As a result people are questioning whether Spain can go back to what made them such a formidable team in 2012. Who knows though; perhaps this is the year for the hosts France, the World Champions Germany or maybe, just maybe, this will finally be the year for perennial dark horses England.