Overview

• The German chancellor held talks with Spain’s prime minister at the Moncloa, a visit marked publicly by Merz’s nostalgic reference to childhood holidays in Cullera.
• Merz told reporters he associates Spain with the best memories of his youth, prompting Cullera’s mayor to express pride and invite him to return.
• According to El Mundo, Merz urged a working alliance in the European Parliament between the EPP, socialists and liberals to advance competitiveness, defense and regulatory files tied to the Draghi report.
• El Mundo also reports he met opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to discuss recalibrating the Green Agenda, while pressing for progress on Mercosur and EU energy interconnections.
• German outlets highlighted policy differences with Sánchez over Israel, as coverage also pointed to pragmatic cooperation on defense projects such as the FCAS and broader market priorities.