Spain surpasses Japan in GDP per capita, San Fermín bull run festival kicks off, key week ahead for Spain’s PM as scandals grow and more news on Monday July 7th.
Spain surpasses Japan in GDP per capita
According to new data from the International Monetary Fund, Spain has surpassed Japan in GDP per capita.
The news will surprise many, but it reflects the growing weight of the services sector in the global economy and the relative decline of models based on industry and the production of goods.
In 2012 the difference between Japan’s and Spain’s GDP per capita was more than $21,000, but in 2025 it stands at $35,000, while Japan barely reaches $32,500.
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Key week ahead for Spain’s PM as scandals grow
Spain’s ruling Socialists held an emergency committee over the weekend with the aim of restoring voter confidence, but scandal hit yet again during this event focused on stamping out corruption in the PSOE.
It emerged that Francisco Salazar, a close ally of Pedro Sánchez, faced accusations of “inappropriate behavior” by several women and thus stepped down as deputy in the party’s secretariat.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has already had to publicly apologise twice for the actions of his inner circle and he is now scheduled to appear in Congress on Wednesday July 9th to address his party’s many problems.
Spain’s San Fermín bull run festival kicks off
Pamplona declared its world-famous San Fermines festival officially inaugurated on Sunday with its usual jam-packed town hall square and the chupinazo firework, which gives way to a week of non-stop celebrations and of course encierros (bull runs).
On Monday morning, the first bull run took place with no major injuries to report but still four people taken to hospital with concussion.
Another hot week ahead
Spain’s national weather agency Aemet has issued yellow and orange warnings for high temperatures for the second week of July.
This Monday, only Andalusia will have an orange warning, with temperatures expected to exceed 40C in parts of Córdoba and Jaén. Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and the Community of Madrid, as well as several Andalusian cities, will be on yellow alert for temperatures above 36C.
Aemet has indicated that although temperatures may fluctuate, the intense heat is likely to persist in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands for much of July.
