Eduardo González
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank Walter Steinmeier, will make a state visit to Spain from November 26 to 28, Moncloa announced in a statement on Friday.
“The state visit reflects the excellent level of bilateral relations between Spain and Germany, partners in the EU and NATO allies, and takes place just two months after the visit of the German Federal Chancellor, Friedrich Merz,” the statement continued.
The visit includes a gala dinner in his honor hosted by the King and Queen, a meeting with the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, on November 27, participation in the 11th Spanish-German Economic Forum, and a visit to the Basque Country, including the city of Gernika. This event will have strong symbolic significance, as it will mark the first visit by a German president to the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz since its destruction during the Spanish Civil War by the Condor Legion of Nazi Germany.
This is Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s second visit to Spain since assuming office in March 2017. His first visit took place at the end of October 2018, on that occasion with the status of an “official visit,” not a “state visit,” and included meetings with the King and Queen of Spain and Pedro Sánchez, who had only been Prime Minister for five months. The King and Queen paid a state visit to Germany in October 2012 (the first by a Spanish head of state in 36 years), during which King Felipe VI had the opportunity to meet with, among others, Steinmeier and the then Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
On September 18, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made his first visit to Spain, which was clearly marked by differences of opinion between his government and that of Pedro Sánchez regarding the Middle East, specifically on the definition of the situation in Gaza as “genocide” and on the recognition of the Palestinian state. That same day, the 25th bilateral summit was held in A Coruña, chaired by Pedro Sánchez and Olaf Scholz.
Born in Detmold (North Rhine-Westphalia) in 1956, the Social Democrat Frank-Walter Steinmeier served as Foreign Minister twice (2005-2009 and 2013-2017) and as Vice-Chancellor between 2007 and 2009. In the 2009 elections, he was the SPD’s candidate for Chancellor. He served as a member of the Bundestag from 2009 to 2017 and was leader of the SPD parliamentary group during the 2009-2013 legislature. He has held the office of President of the Republic since March 19, 2017. On February 13, 2022, he was re-elected for a second term, which will end in 2027.
