Spain’s new government promises to raise R&D spending

Left-wing coalition pledges to improve researchers’ working conditions and spend more on R&D

A Spanish coalition government led by returning prime minister Pedro Sánchez (pictured), who was sworn in on 7 January, will increase public investment in R&D from 2020 onwards, according to its four-year programme.

The government, made up of the centre-left Socialist Workers’ Party and left-wing Podemos, has promised to hire more staff at public research centres, reduce the number of researchers on temporary contracts and increase the number of predoctoral scholarships and postdoctoral contracts.