Spain dominates Ballon D’Or football awards, PP and Vox forge last-minute Senate alliance, Madrid ‘tent city’ enters second month with fewer campers and more news on Tuesday October 27th.
Spain’s government rushes to tighten private education rules and reduce class sizes
The Spanish government is expediting several educational decrees before the upcoming general elections scheduled for November 29th.
These measures aim to tighten the operational requirements for private vocational training centres and universities, while also reducing the student-to-teacher ratios in early childhood education and high schools.
Additionally, a new proposal will allow autonomous communities with protected regional languages, such as Asturian and Aragonese, to create specialised teaching positions for these dialects.
Previous attempts to reduce class sizes for primary and compulsory secondary education have stalled, as they require a formal legislative process that was interrupted by the dissolution of parliament.
Madrid ‘tent city’ enters second month with fewer campers
Exactly one month after a housing rights encampment began in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, the central plaza awoke on Monday with visibly fewer tents.
The movement, initially sparked by the eviction of the late Maricarmen, insists they are not leaving but simply reorganising to clear major pedestrian pathways and transit exits.
READ ALSO: ‘Staying until there’s change’ – Madrid housing protest camp marks one month
Organisers say that the assembly remains strong and continues to demand urgent housing reforms, even as new participants join the protest.
Meanwhile, regional government officials are calling for an immediate police eviction of the encampment, holding the central government responsible for the ongoing economic impact on local businesses and recent safety incidents.
PP and Vox forge last-minute Senate alliance
Just hours before the electoral deadline, the conservative People’s Party (PP) and hard-right Vox reached a strategic agreement to consolidate their Senate candidacies.
Under this pact, Vox will withdraw its candidates in six provinces while the PP will step aside in three, ensuring the right-wing vote is not penalised by the electoral system in smaller constituencies.
In fourteen other provinces, Vox will field a single candidate while encouraging its supporters to additionally vote for two PP candidates, aiming to maximise conservative representation against the leftist alliance of the PSOE and Sumar’s rebrand, Frente Amplio.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez swiftly condemned the manoeuvre, releasing a video warning voters that the conservative coalition represents a unified project of political regression for Spain.
READ ALSO: Vox rising – What latest polls say a month away from Spain’s election
The deal serves as further proof that the PP is more than willing to govern with the far right if it means getting Spain’s Socialists out of government.
The PP-Vox Senate alliance is critical because it aims to secure a right-wing supermajority to control key state institutions and block left-wing legislation.
The composition of the Senate in Spain is decided through a mixed system that combines direct voting by citizens in general elections and appointment by regional parliaments.
Spain dominates Ballon D’Or awards
Spain completely dominated the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, taking home eight of the thirteen total trophies presented at the London Palladium.
While England’s Harry Kane claimed the Men’s Ballon d’Or, Spanish talent commanded the rest of the stage.
Alexia Putellas won her record-equalling third Women’s Ballon d’Or trophy, extending Spain’s historic run to six consecutive wins in the women’s category. Her former teammate Barcelona’s Vicky López won the award for best young female player.
Barça’s Lamine Yamal captured the Kopa Trophy for best young player, but ultimately was disappointed to not take home the men’s main Ballon d’Or trophy, saying that his teammate Pau Cubarsí should have won the Young Talent accolade.
Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente and Barcelona’s Pere Romeu won the trophies for best coaches in the men’s and women’s categories.
Athletic Bilbao and Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón and her Spanish female counterpart Cata Coll both won the best keeper awards.
And the Women’s Club of the Year went to FC Barcelona Femení. It’s been a sensational year for Spanish football, quite possibly the best ever.