Spain marks National Day with Madrid parade amid political tension

Spain celebrated its National Day on Monday, 12 October, with a military parade in Madrid presided over by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Euronews Election News and Euronews Europe both reported that the event took place against a tense political backdrop following Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calling a snap general election for 29 November. [1][2]

Euronews Election News reported that no soldiers from the autonomous city of Ceuta took part in the Madrid parade on the Paseo del Prado. The Spanish Ministry of Defence kept its forces deployed in Ceuta following a crisis that began in July, when tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the territory from Morocco. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are scheduled to travel to Ceuta on Tuesday. [1]

Events marking the day took place across the country. Euronews Europe reported that about 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Barcelona waving Spanish and Ceuta flags to support Spanish territorial integrity. In addition, Vox leader Santiago Abascal travelled to Ceuta instead of attending the Madrid parade, where he laid a wreath to honor those who died for Spain, as reported by Euronews Europe and Demócrata. [2][8]

A national day is a date set aside to mark the statehood or nationhood of a country or its people. Ceuta is a Spanish enclave located on the North African coast across the Strait of Gibraltar. [2][10][13]