?French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Spain with his wife, Briggite Macron, on September 29 and 30 for an official visit. The French president will meet with the King and with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, eight years after his last state visit.
EIGHT YEARS AFTER HIS LAST STATE VISIT
Government sources said the state visit is taking place within the framework of the friendly and cooperative relations maintained by both countries, as well as their efforts to continue strengthening bilateral ties in all areas.
As part of the planned program, the King and Queen will host a gala dinner in his honor. The president of the French Republic will also be received by the prime minister on September 30 at 12:00 p.m.
THE FRIENDSHIP TREATY IS STILL PENDING
Macron has not visited Spain for eight years, a trip that was postponed for various reasons, including the pandemic and the lack of definitive ratification of the Friendship Treaty. The agreement was signed by Sánchez and Macron at the Spanish-French summit held in Barcelona in January 2023, but controversy surrounding Article 2.4, which provides for a minister from one country to join the other country’s Council of Ministers at least once every three months on a rotating basis, has so far blocked its ratification.
The Spanish government first tried to push it through in 2025, but the attempt failed due to Junts and Podemos abstaining in Congress. A year later, it put the text to a vote again and, to overcome this obstacle, the government reached an “interpretative agreement” providing for French ministers to be invited to “ad hoc” meetings, without being part of the Council of Ministers in the strict sense.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT HAS THE FINAL SAY
However, the PP opposed the move and used its majority in the Senate to vote against it, temporarily blocking the treaty’s entry into force. The Popular Party maintains that the disputed provision violates the Constitution and therefore backed a request in the upper house for the Constitutional Court to rule on the matter.
As a result, the matter is now in the Constitutional Court’s hands because, if it approves the endorsement, the text would return to Congress for a new vote and would presumably be approved with the backing of the majority that supported the investiture. Meanwhile, France’s National Assembly and Senate already ratified the treaty in March 2025, so Paris is waiting for Spain to complete the process.
THE MIGRATION CRISIS IN CEUTA AS A BACKDROP
Macron’s visit is also taking place against the backdrop of the migration crisis in Ceuta. The French president offered Spain assistance through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
Macron declined to join Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s initiative calling for Spain to be expelled from the European free-movement area known as “Schengen” and introduced temporary controls for travelers. Government sources described the visit as "very positive" and, above all, expressed appreciation for France’s gesture toward Spain over the migration crisis.
