Spain

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy on the Iberian Peninsula that joined the European Communities in 1986, together with Portugal, consolidating its return to the European family after the democratic transition of the late 1970s. It adopted the euro at its launch in 1999 and has been part of the Schengen area since 1995.

Its most distinctive trait is a plurinational, highly decentralised state of 17 autonomous communities. Several of its historical nations — the Basque Country, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and Galicia — are home to EDP member parties and have their own pages on this site. In the European Parliament, Spain is the fourth-largest delegation, with 61 seats (2024).

Spain's plural democracy reflects a conviction the European Democrats hold firm: that strong territories and a strong Europe are not rivals but allies, and that unity in diversity is best served when nations with their own identity find a voice both at home and in Brussels.