Thursday Mar 30, 2023 - Spain - Prime Minister Sánchez to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Renewable energy investment, Luis de la Fuente feeling the heat

These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Thursday March 30, 2023

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss economic and trade ties between the two countries, as they celebrate half a century of diplomatic relations. However, analysts predict that the real topic of conversation will be the fate of Ukraine, with Spain about to join international efforts to end the Russian invasion. As Europe's first major land war since World War II continues, Spain has been thrust into the spotlight as a possible diplomatic interlocutor in the conflict. Sánchez is expected to push for a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine that respects its territorial integrity. The world, he says, should listen to China’s plan for peace, as the country is a global actor.

Renewable energy investors are taking the Spanish government to court in London over lost subsidies, with the outcome of the $125 million lawsuit having implications for clean energy financing across the EU. The case, involving investors from the Netherlands and Luxembourg, centers around a solar plant in southern Spain, which was promised subsidies to encourage growth in renewable energy production. However, the Spanish government controversially slashed the payments without notice after the 2008 financial crisis. Spain has been sued more than 50 times over the retroactive changes, but has not paid out despite losing more than 20 cases. The dispute risks shaking confidence in the EU's investment climate for clean energy, which is already being affected by a new U.S. law offering incentives for homegrown green technology.

Spain's new coach, Luis de la Fuente, is feeling the heat after a lackluster win and a disappointing loss in his first two games in charge. Spain managed to scrape a 3-0 win against Norway in their opening qualifying match for the 2024 European Championship, but their performance was far from convincing. They followed that up with a 2-0 loss to Scotland, which has put De la Fuente under pressure to show significant improvement in their next game. Despite having nearly 70% possession, Spain managed only three shots on target against Scotland, which is a worrying sign for a team that has traditionally focused on possession-based football. De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique after the team's elimination in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar, and he has pledged to make scoring a priority for the national team. However, his early results suggest that he has a lot of work to do to get Spain back to its best. The next few games will be crucial for De la Fuente, and he will be under heightened scrutiny when Spain faces Italy in the Nations League on June 15.

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