Mil días sin Presupuestos: los 'parches' superan los 330.000 millones desde 2024

For a thousand days, Spain has been without budgets since the expiration of the 2023 Public Accounts, marking a rare historical occurrence. Throughout three years marked by European fund recovery, public service saturation due to population growth, housing demand, and increased defense spending following conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Spain's inability to present budgets has become significant.

Despite this constitutional mandate to submit General State Budgets (PGE) at least three months before the previous year's end, the executive maintains that the absence of PGE is not impeding governance. However, the government has had to reallocate resources among ministries and seek credit expansions to cope with the economic reality and political changes.

From January to July of this year, these patches amounted to nearly 118 billion euros, close to the figure recorded in the previous year and surpassing 2024's first year of budget prorogation. In total, adjustments and transfers exceed 330 billion euros during the 1,000 days of budget absence. While tax revenues and European funds help Spain cope with the lack of budgets, the public debt's pressure remains.

These patches allowed the government to continue operating, but the shortage of budgets leaves little room for further adjustments. The Treasury's increase in tax collection and European funds have also contributed to budget adjustments. However, the need for a 10 billion euro adjustment in 2027 to meet fiscal goals with the European Union is now unavoidable.

Despite this, the government has yet to present a budget for 2027, due before the end of the year, making the constitutional deadline (before September 30) unlikely.