The foreign policy of a nation is ideally the embodiment of its national interest. However, recent actions by Pedro Sánchez indicate a troubling transformation in Spain's diplomatic stance, primarily motivated by his personal survival rather than the country's strategic needs. This shift places Spain in a precarious geopolitical position, yet Sánchez appears to be reaping immediate electoral benefits from his defiant strategy, despite the risks involved.
According to the latest survey by SocioMétrica for EL ESPAÑOL, Sánchez has managed to halt his decline in popularity. For the first time since corruption scandals began encircling his administration, the president has climbed back to the threshold of 110 parliamentary seats, narrowing the gap with the Popular Party (PP). However, this rebound is not a result of any genuine improvement in Spain's internal situation; rather, it stems from an obstinate focus on international confrontation.
Sánchez has effectively positioned himself against figures like Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, using them as perfect antagonists to revive his image as a leader of left-wing resistance. Ironically, both leaders inadvertently play into Sánchez's narrative, responding to his provocations and thus becoming unwitting accomplices in his political choreography. The escalation of tensions with the Trump administration, coupled with heightened aggression towards Israel, has resulted in a troubling alignment with China. This indirect alliance with Russia raises significant concerns within European circles, particularly in Brussels.
The implications for Spain are potentially dire. Washington has seemingly begun retaliatory measures, recently signing a historic defense agreement with Morocco for the next decade, which elevates Rabat to a preferred partner in the Mediterranean. This Moroccan rearmament, endorsed by Trump, undermines Spain's strategic foothold in Ceuta and Melilla and threatens to exclude Spain from the protective umbrella of U.S. security.
Furthermore, Spain's foreign policy drift away from European centrality recalls a time before the constitution when the nation was isolated, unable to engage equally with leading liberal democracies, and sought refuge in alternative blocs. It is ironic that Sánchez's summit in Barcelona this past weekend was titled 'In Defense of Democracy,' featuring not established democratic leaders but rather figures from Latin American populism such as Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro, and Claudia Sheinbaum.
María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader interviewed by EL ESPAÑOL, has voiced her concerns regarding Sánchez's pivot towards an illiberal bloc, associating Spain with the outcasts of the West. Machado declined to meet Sánchez, citing a compelling reason: "One cannot defend democracy surrounded by those who seek excuses to undermine it in Venezuela."
Amidst this diplomatic drift, Sánchez has once again positioned himself to lead the EU in retaliatory measures against Netanyahu, raising the stakes by announcing that he will advocate for the EU to terminate its Association Agreement with Israel. The fact that this announcement was made during a campaign rally in Andalusia, despite the clear lack of consensus in Brussels for such a move, highlights the purely propagandistic nature of these international gestures.
The troubling reality is that while these actions may bolster Sánchez's standing in polls and mobilize his electorate against an "external enemy," the long-term costs to Spain in terms of security, alliances, and international prestige could be unsustainable. As has often been the case in this pattern of conflicting interests, when Sánchez gains, Spain ultimately pays the price.
As reported by elespanol.com.
