Global Perspectives
This editorial draws on a conversation with Antonio Aloisi
Antonio Aloisi
Professor at IE University Law School
Antonio Aloisi is a professor at IE University Law School, Madrid. Antonio studies the impact of algorithms and artificial intelligence on fundamental rights, social institutions and the organization of work. He co-authored the book “Your Boss Is an Algorithm. Artificial Intelligence, Platform Work and Labour” (Bloomsbury, 2022) and co-founded the Lawtomation Jean Monnet Centre, a research and training hub dedicated to studying automated decision-making processes.
Key Takeaways
– Spanish stability as the country’s benchmark for success
– Geographic advantage between Europe’s southwestern tip and the heart of the Spanish-speaking world
– Technological success: not a matter of scaling, but of doing things better
Spain’s success in 2025 didn’t arrive with fanfare. It materialized quietly, almost imperceptibly, until the numbers made it impossible to ignore: GDP growing at five times the Eurozone average, foreign investors treating the country as a safe bet, cities humming with new technology firms, and airports full of skilled migrants choosing Spain as home. It would be tempting to call this a turnaround story. But Spain hasn’t turned around. It has simply kept going—deliberately, steadily, and with an unusual sense of continuity.
The roots of this moment reach back more than a decade. After the shocks of 2008 and the pandemic, Spain chose a slow reconstruction rather than a dramatic reinvention. That decision is paying off. Stability—economic, social, and political—has become the country’s strongest currency.
But geography helped, too. Spain sits at Europe’s southwestern edge, buffered from the geopolitical turmoil that rattles the east, yet ideally placed as a bridge to North Africa. Its flat plains and abundant sunlight made it an early champion of renewable energy, a choice that has matured into real independence. And beyond the map lies something even more strategic: language. Spain’s historical and cultural ties to Latin America put the country at the heart of the Spanish-speaking world and open doors for thousands of skilled migrants and countless businesses.
Migration plays a central role in this story, but not as a challenge to be managed. It is a resource, and Spain has learned how to harness it. Skilled newcomers—engineers from Colombia, designers from Argentina, entrepreneurs from Morocco—find a system that recognizes qualifications, integrates them quickly, and gives them space to participate. These communities don’t just fill gaps; they generate new economic activity, new cultural patterns, and new lines of global connection.
Spain’s international presence grows from this internal coherence. Its relationships across Latin America and Africa mirror its domestic strengths: long-term thinking, cultural fluency, and an instinct for partnership rather than dominance. This is soft power built not through declarations but through consistency.That’s why progress inside the country has been built through decisions that rarely made headlines but quietly altered daily life. Labor reforms reduced precarious employment and gave stability to millions. Digital modernization—payment systems, online services, and cloud infrastructure—made it easier for freelancers, small businesses, and startups to operate at a global level. The result is an economy that doesn’t sprint but strides, absorbing tension without losing direction.
Spain’s international presence grows from this internal coherence. Its relationships across Latin America and Africa mirror its domestic strengths: long-term thinking, cultural fluency, and an instinct for partnership rather than dominance.
Spain’s approach to innovation follows that same temperament. It is not trying to outbuild Silicon Valley or compete in the frontier-model arms race. Instead, the country has focused on using technology well. Universities, research centers, and international institutions form a porous ecosystem where ideas move easily between academia and industry. AI is seen not as an abstract ideal but as a practical tool: something that improves workflows, classrooms, and public administration.
Of course, prosperity attracts pressure. Rising demand strains housing markets; global talent raises competition; and the country must guard against complacency. But these challenges emerge from growth, not decline.Spain in 2025 is not a miracle story or a case of sudden reinvention. It is a country that chose a long horizon over short-term theatrics, and is now seeing the returns. It offers a model of prosperidad: growth that is broad, steady, and rooted in social cohesion. In a Europe often defined by disruption, Spain reminds us that stability—quiet, deliberate, cumulative—can be transformative.