Spain update - On the verge of extinction

[@jroldanvaldellos]

Hello, as a Spanish I do have a note about your video and is that it’s very incomplete. Real figures about unemployment are waaay higher as you are no considering the low quality of existing ones and manipulation on numbers. Just my 50 cents if I can help. Thanks a lot as I trust you more than any local news. Cheers

[@KethiaCameau]

1:41

[@isma4507]

No not higher as Spaniards we cry and cry ok politicians are bad what about local people who also commit crimes thow garbage on the stress cross red lights etc

[@jroldanvaldellos]

@@isma4507 who is crying? You?

[@erikawallace3404]

If nowadays, in the business world, they are asking business graduates to speak English and have a knowledge of another language minimum... why politicians should be different? Their Spanish isn't that great but they should be able to speak at least another language to show that they are cultured and can 'survive' in a global world. That a waitress in a bar is capable of speaking English shows how far away Spanish politicians are from the real world

[@Lacteagalaxia]

Pues elijo cualquier idioma regional de España🤣

[@hus390]

A waitress deals with customers from around the world and tries to satisfy them. Spanish politicians’ only job is to satisfy Spaniards. Hence, they don’t feel the need to learn another language . 🤷🏽‍♂️ I understand them. Easy as that!!

[@debbiegarza1287]

Stu, I love your blog that feels like we’re just 2 friends talking over a cana on current events!

[@paulcavanagh9370]

It's not just Spain where Postal Voting is suspect,here inthe UK it has been under scrutiny for years.

[@iantobanter9546]

and apparently, KZbin has now stopped banning mention of the 2020 US election fraud.

[@Michaelcj-m2d]

​@@iantobanter9546Becuase there was no fruad only a Fox and Trump talking point.

[@Michaelcj-m2d]

Even the PP before don't trust vote by mail ,Now there saying if you can't vote in person then vote by mail 😂😂

[@blueodum]

I wonder if the official unemployment rate may be due to high participation in the informal economy. I think in Italy they estimated that the country is much much wealthier in reality because of the large informal economy there. Also, in the USA, if you have been out of work for long enough you are no longer counted as unemployed. Better to look at the labour participation rate, especially relative to previous years within the same country.

[@neilg4208]

The government changed the way of counting unemployment just over a year ago. I'm a bit vague but basically there are some types of jobs...i think in seasonal work like agriculture and tourism...in which the job has to be held open for next year for the person seasonally laid off. As a result the unemployment figures fell strongly overnight. Even though the person isn't working he is classed as being 'in contract'. Abracadabra!

[@thesocialmediascientistmbe]

Hi Stu. Interesting video about the dreadful and ever worsening poltical situation here in Spain. Here in Burgos, the local elections involve an unlucky few receiving a letter through the post and forcing you to work for the parties by registering each vote every polling day. If you refuse, you ether pay a huge fine or go to prison. As you state, this year, the general elections are in the middle of summer and many, many will lose their planned holidays as a result. This is no different to going back to the dark days of the dictatorship. It is such a Shame as Spain is a beautiful country, which is being destroyed by greed, corruption and politics. The image of Spain has always been to enjoy the "quality of life", but I am sorry to say I really haven't seen too much of this since my years here.

[@williamhancox860]

I have had a place in Sierra Nevada for fifty years where the official unemployment rate has always been very high. This was partly due to a manipulation by smallholders who employ each other for the harvesting period and then claim unemployment benefit for the rest of the year whilst maintaining their fields ready for the next harvest. Life was simple but not taxing as the crops grown did not require intensive effort

[@ROGERPIC77]

I'm enjoying your videos especially the ones out of your garden as the composition and colours are very pleasing, especially as you shoot into the sun.. you must be using a very decent camera, as a retired photographer I do appreciate the quality. Many thanks..

[@jimmydargent9893]

love the commentary Stu, I feel you're being diplomatic in some of your comments so well done for being so restrained. It's neither strategic or an act of desperation - it's bitterness and childlike behavior from a politico.

[@TheMelquart]

The biggest problem in Spain is the poor quality of education and lack of ambition. There are no checks and no consequences for teachers not delivering the content properly. English classes are being taught in Spanish. The content of the curriculum is out of date. Communities are pushing their political agendas onto their students (forcing Catalan and Valenciano), creating disparity compared to students in Madrid. (Those peripheral languages are eating up a considerate amount of lessons a week, instead of learning something useful, such as computer science). There is no reason to do well, when a less energy intense approach would raise you over the mediocrity of others. Just be slightly above the competition and that is good enough. There are very bright kids who are wasted by the system.

[@hus390]

Spain is not like Sweden or Finland where these countries languages are spoken by five million people at best. Half a billion speak Spanish in this world. So they don’t care. Also, they learn other European Latin languages like French and Portuguese

[@TheMelquart]

@@hus390 This is where they are wrong and ignorant if the thought process is as you describe. Half a billion people with very small geopolitical weight matters very little. In this case, quantity does not make quality by itself. Even in China (where Mandarin is the main language and spoken by close to 1 billion people) English is the main priority as international business and relations are conducted in English. Statesmen are expected to be able to communicate in English. The reality of our world is all other languages (besides maybe Mandarin) are of secondary or tertiary importance. You are not English going by your name, neither I am. Yet, we can converse and exchange ideas in English. Good luck trying to do this in French if you are trying to do it outside of Africa.

[@AndresCanive]

great video Stuart!

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

The most despised prime minister of Spain was Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo. Despised and forgotten, it seems he never existed. He spoke Portuguese, French, Italian, German and English. He was the one who got us into NATO. Today it's been 15 years he passed away.

[@davidnelson3026]

English is the language of business, diplomats, and it is international language. it should be mandatory for the politicians to commit to it getting at least at basic level.

[@hus390]

Why should a mayor in Spain, or a lawmaker, or even the PM learn English?? Their job is to satisfy their own citizens. Not an American citizen living in USA!!! Also many politicians speak the language of neighbouring countries like France and Portugal. They may need basic English when they order food abroad or book a hotel. That’s all.

[@harriettt9857]

I agree with you Stu . I think people in high positions such as Mr. Feijoo should speak a foreign language . It shows a certain level of ambition , forward thinking and a certain amount of dedication and perseverance which are all qualities that enhance the position of Prime minister in this day and age .

[@lindagonzalez5059]

The Spanish pm to be Head of nato . And will most likely speak English better than the current one stoltenberg

[@isma4507]

Feijoo if become prime minister spain going to be empty no young people left in the country because of low wages and his do favour rich people

[@gabrielemcnicholl6174]

I think so to that people in high positions should speak a second language. I live in Canada , our prime minister has to speak english and french. Kids should grow up with 2 languages in my opinion. That should be an option in school. I don’t know if the schools in Spain has that option but it would be sure helpfull for the future.

[@karenhitchens3563]

Most U.S. presidents don’t speak another language, they relied on interpreters. Most Americans barely speak one language, American English, yes we’re very lazy in learning another language! :) My opinion is that Spanish PM don’t need to speak English as long as they are well educated in their main language. It’s an advantage to speak English to operate in the world stage though. As for Mr Sanchez, I think his using desperate strategy! 😅😅😅

[@joseantoniodavila2752]

Many presidents of the United States speak Spanish while the electoral campaign. And all of them have roots in Ireland, by the way

[@silent00planet]

I read that the previous German chancellor Merkel chose not to speak English because her voice was not suitable?

[@robertburns8999]

​@@joseantoniodavila2752 can't think of any US presidents who speak a foreign language

[@karenhitchens3563]

@@robertburns8999 if one count those who memorised a few short Spanish phrases, as they are pandering to voters, then there are a few. After elections, they could careless about foreign languages even though a huge swath of the south west used to be Mexico! ;/

[@kerryburns6041]

In Spanish, words are pronounced as written -- not quite like that in Britain, is it Mrs Cholmondeley ? (Pronounced Chumley !)

[@erikawallace3404]

Today's weather in Terrassa was a very grey morning and 5 storms with quite heavy storms. Sunny now, though still some grey clouds about

[@andrewmeasures2312]

Hi Stuart, interesting video as usual. Will be interesting to see how the election pans out. I susspect the PM has set that date hoping that many of the oposition voters will not bother to vote in favour of enjoying their pre-booked holidays. I was surprised to see how lovely and green everything was on your walk with Mia. Also all the beautiful Oleander bushes in full bloom. Delightful. All the very best. Andrew.

[@alfredoarroyo9201]

Felipe Gonzalez could speak French. He was from a generation where French was the first foreign language. And he was in very good terms with German cancellor Helmut Kohl, and they spoke French

[@Peter_Schiavo]

Learning a foreign language. I have tried for years. My wife speaks textbook Castilian Spanish that she was taught in a private school in Chile. My brain just can't hold onto enough of it to even see basic fluency on the far horizon.

[@thesocialmediascientistmbe]

​@@nancyinthegarden3160 (lose).

[@victorvelasquez3719]

8:04 " spring chicken" 🐔 😂🤣 that phrase has granted you a 💯👍🏼

[@martindouglas9839]

Yo pienso que es más difícil a aprender otra idioma cuando se es más viajo pero yo también pienso que no es imposible.pero tu tienes que practicar y aprender mucho más .mas bien que tu eres más joven .yo empezado aprendiendo Español cuando tenia el Edad de 52 años

[@stpete2madrid960]

Hola amigo, I agree with you that Sanchez wants to frame the election as a choice of either the PSOE, or the extreme right. Will there be debates between the parties before the election? How nice to have only a few weeks of political ads before Election Day, unlike the states where it drags on for many months. You are also correct about the difficulty in learning a second language later in life. I can attest to that with my situation of trying to learn Spanish in my mid sixties. "no es facil"

[@barrypreedy9834]

Hi Stu I come back to the language issues that we all face especially in the UK. I go to business meetings in Europe and around the table are Belgians, French, Rumanians, Dutch, Norwegians, Italians and sometimes other nationalities. They ask me if it is okay if the meeting is held in English taking a subtle dig at me as they know I do not have any idea on any other language. I think this is showing how bad our education system is at learning a different language, but the main stream films and television programmes are in English and just subtitled and of course music., so we feel that we do not need it. I do like the way you provoke conversation on a variety of subjects

[@yolantadianow1584]

Thank you from Canada ❤

[@jimrodda]

British politicians in the future will have to learn Arabic and Swahili so they can understand the questions being asked 🤔🤔

[@glenparker8458]

Hi Stuart very interesting mate I love Spain and your news top notch mate

[@chrissierichards6802]

Hi Stuart today we looked up to the sky. 9 bombers 4 jet fighters training over our plot in Salar. We are in campo so clear. Were going round and round for 2 hrs. 3rd week they have been doing it. For Ukraine? Xx

[@philiplindley7384]

Given that the EU continue to use English as a first language despite current restrictions I would have thought this wouldn't be an option??

[@corremeyer510]

How do you record your audio? It’s fantastic

[@igorstefanovski7131]

People in general should know more than one foreign language...at least. Politicians, as a representatives of the people, should know at least one foreign language. Education and ambition are important nowadays. It should show that you aren't lazy.

[@TheRastler]

Tourism, when the tourists go home unemployment rises come the holiday season unemployment drops. I remember well before the pandemic unemployment in the young was reportedly around 20% in the Murcia region, I haven’t been back but I believe through people I met that were residents they are saying many shops have closed and some only open for two or three months..

[@markashdown1314]

Interesting piece, thanks.

[@gazl7356]

Hi Stu There is a lot of cash in hand here not declared. Do you think that maybe those employment figures are not actually as bad as they report due to this?

[@lornahiggins2926]

Hola Stu and Spain Speaks family! We are coming to Madrid soon. We have tickets for the Free Pet Shop Boys concert in a football Stadium, but are there other unmissable things we should know about over the next couple of weeks? Also ... any recommendations for Menú del Día, etc? Thank you very much!

[@MuzzaHukka]

My dad was in the PSB boys "London" music video!

[@chrissierichards6802]

We have CO MI in our village. Another 4yrs. Comminist but they have done more for our village than other parties xxx

[@martinrobinson9852]

Stewart, what's the deal with all those caravans parked up along the public highway? Has the appearance of illegality.

[@antoniohernandez2755]

You could say that he speaks Gallego... He want to turn it into a foreign language. Thank you for you unbiased report of the situation there. I wish I was there (temporarily of course. It's ever more comfortable in one of the most stable countries in the world!

[@garylarson2515]

Great show-thanks.

[@craphead9842]

Spain has some 800 desalination plants that can produce 5 million cubic litres a day of water for drinking, agriculture and industry. If that were dedicated solely for human consumption, it would quench the thirst of 34 million people - over 70 per cent of Spain's population.... I think that the people of Spain are being ripped off for their water if these figures are correct.. IMO How much does desalination cost? According to the public company that runs the Llobregat plant, a thousand litres of desalinated water costs €0.70 to produce, compared to €0.20 euros for the same quantity of water pulled from the Llobregat river and purified for drinking. That means a heavier tax burden and, possibly, higher water bills..... Tony Cuenca

[@franciscopontesvelasco4315]

I concur with your point of view. Politicians should guess by on english

[@catherinelarman1995]

Another language is always useful si?

[@jonathangat4765]

Hey Stuart....bad English = more work for people like us! BTW, just arrived in Valencia and I'm staying awake by catching up on some videos,

[@michaelthatcher3825]

Stu, the strong rumours around are saying that after Sanchez loses the election he will be offered the top job in NATO.

[@lindagonzalez5059]

Yepp and he's in a hurry as he can not possess both positions just as stoltenberg had to give his job as PM to his old class mate in order to be head of nato.

[@King35Fan]

Hi, Stu. In other countries, such as England, for example, the accelerated vote is associated with a “no confidence” assessment of the administration in power. I haven’t heard that possibility mentioned, although you did mention the possibility of internal rumblings within his party or coalition. There is plenty of evidence of media bias in all countries and of negative associations and outcomes with neoliberalism. To what degree are these accurate observations in Spain today is an objective question and to assess either or both as a scare tactic is, as you say an opinion. Implying that people who don’t share that opinion are “stupid” is another opinion on your part. Obviously, through your word choice and expressed assumptions, you feel very strongly about the election and the outcomes you wish to see. Time will tell. Thanks for sharing your opinions.

[@MsElke11]

It's pretty clear now that the Mail in ballots in the 2020 USA elections were full of fraudulent dead people and duplicate names. Don't let Sanchez do the same trick as Obiden did.

[@alexpervanoglu7420]

I live in the Alpujarras and unemployment here is a lot higher.

[@paulgooderham]

No early voting booths?

[@craphead9842]

You Only get change in a country is by voting whatever some people might say.. All politicians who ain't short of money should have been taught to speak another language especially when their education growing up would have been better than joe public...In fact most children in Spain learn Basic English from the age of 3 or 4 ., Furthermore if you can't understand what someone is saying then you are in big trouble... AIMHO..... Tony Cuenca

[@joaosabino2909]

French easier to learn for Spanish people

[@groovydonkey]

My view on the upcoming elections, sound more stupid than tactical, as people wanting to vote for the various parties could be away then and the voting by post system seems to be flawed and corrupt, but I think that can happen in any country. As for politicians speaking another language, I think it is a necessity now and as English is one of the most common languages, It would be beneficial for a politician to be able to have a basic knowledge of it. Also as Spain is connect to Portugal a basic knowledge of that as well would help.

[@Luis-pz7zz]

Burgos 8% unemployment 😊

[@noramedic1570]

I think politicians need to speak English...I think everyone who wants to work these days need to speak English Because world's economy runs in English and the Internet....

[@nobody764-j9n]

Personally i think he knows he doesn't have the majority and doesn't want to waste time... The peoples time. So he called for the soonest time an election could be done. Dont want to waste the peoples time if the have lost confidence in him. Its much different than in the uk. Where they hold on like garrapatas. 🤣

[@martinhawkins1897]

It's probably fixed as they all are.. your headline appeared to point to you having seen the real truth ...l wonder

[@stuarthunter7559]

Looks like a Yorkshire council estate in August 😂😂

[@elbib2446]

mmm spain being under the rule of fascist dictator franco for years,though sanchez may not be seen to be doing a great job,i thinks its still imperative that spain doesnt move towards the right,or god help us,the far right,theres also no evidence that the right will do a better job than sanchez anyway,though as usual politicians will promise this and that,if you vote for them

[@mariscal012]

Now in this video you raise several questions and all of them are extremely complex. I will try to focus on the elections: Spain's best kept media secret is that If you plead with the result of the last municipal/regional elections for the territorial corrections that are applied in the general elections... AGAIN would win THE COALICON HEAD BY SANCHEZ at the head of the socialists/communists. The tactic chosen to demobilize the middle-middle and upper-middle class, exposing the elections when those of us who can, are away on vacation: So, the wearhy people abstention is gurrantied It is elementary social engineering, is not it?

[@BigJProductions]

unemployment is not an issue. being employed is not the purpose of life. If you really don't money and have no other income then fine, move north where there are jobs for a while. But the way employment is sold to us is wrong. After 2000 years of civilization we should have all the wealth me need by now. it is stolen from us through inflation and various other ways. The way to counter this is to live self sustainably on land you own outright. I am working hard to that end. liberate yourself from economic slavery.

[@JDRELGOR]

I fail to hear or see the part of " on the verge of extinction " but here in Huercal Overa things are going well.

[@ficooper8927]

What happened to the woman - I forget her name - she was planning to unite the left wing parties?

[@larrybxl5406]

PSOE will almost certainly pick up support from other left wing parties like Podemos which will help them fight off a challenge from PP

[@welshtoro3256]

Indeed. I'm certain that is Sanchez's strategy. The thought of a PP/VOX coalition will galvanise his support.

[@larrybxl5406]

@@welshtoro3256 I agree.... but I still think PP will beat PSOE in the popular vote

[@welshtoro3256]

@@larrybxl5406 It's becoming like the U.K: Cities and the rest of the country.

[@martynvick8772]

Please could you do a separate channel on politics. Apart from the weather forecast. 30 seconds only. We all fell asleep 😴. From there on I would rather stick pins in my eyes. More entertaining You lost most of us who enjoy and live in Spain many months of the year Thank you. If anyone feels on the edge. You could certainly push them over. Cheers 👍

[@Stories10]

I was a representative of Romania to the Council of Europe back in the early ´90s. I was in diplomacy for 2 years and I worked for the Romanian Government for 4 years. I speak English and Spanish. I felt retarded because I could not speak French. Should I have stayed more in Strasbourg, I would have learned French. A politician who does not speak a foreign language and is not a native of English will find himself at a great disadvantage.

[@marianvoicu1731]

Where did you film? Houses look like the ones in UK!

[@manuelfg2902]

Madrid outskirts look like that......

[@marianvoicu1731]

@@manuelfg2902 nice, I like the houses, I just wanted to know the location to check on idealista the home prices...thanks!

[@manuelfg2902]

@@marianvoicu1731 in the case of Stuart, southeast Madrid

[@aitormolinerobozas-urrutia2465]

Northwest is better Stuart 🤭

[@marianvoicu1731]

@@manuelfg2902 thanks!

[@tymciach5003]

Let’s go Vox✊🏻

[@Michaelcj-m2d]

Your funny 😂

[@subcitizen2012]

Is the unemployment there related to the retirement? Or do they stop counting those eligible and on retirement? Either case I'd expect they relative number to be somewhat lower or higher. If that 19% for Andalusia is all age groups, it's seems unusual. But I'm coming from the US where we are officially at a record low in 60 years, 3.4% last I saw. Work makes us free 😆🫣

[@igor_oak_tree]

3.4 % unemployment means 3.4% collect benefits , in US for 6 month , but labor participation is 62 % it means 38 % sit at home.

[@MuzzaHukka]

In North Africa, too many Muslims