Princess Leonor has attended the Día de las Fuerzas Armadas (Armed Forces arade) for the first time alongside King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, appearing with her father during the national military parade held in Vigo on Saturday May 30.

The event, which brings together Spain’s armed forces each year in a different city, was presided over by King Felipe VI and marked a significant moment in the public military role of the Princess of Asturias, who is currently completing her military training.

Leonor joined the Royal Family on the tribune and took part in the official programme as the parade unfolded along the Galician city’s waterfront, where thousands of service personnel were deployed.

First participation in a major military ceremony

This was the first time Princess Leonor has attended the central Día de las Fuerzas Armadas parade alongside the King, making it her most prominent appearance to date in a national military ceremony of this scale. According to official reporting, she attended as part of her ongoing military instruction, which has included training across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Her presence had been confirmed shortly before the event following an adjustment to the Royal Household’s schedule. The King and Queen were accompanied by their daughter during the tribune ceremony, where they observed the march-past of military units and equipment. Leonor is expected to continue participating in major institutional events as part of her preparation for her future role as Commander-in-Chief.

Large-scale military display in Vigo

The parade was part of a programme of defence activities held in Vigo over several days. More than 3,700 personnel took part, supported by units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Guardia Civil and the Military Emergency Unit.

The display included infantry formations, cavalry units, military vehicles and coordinated marching groups. A naval and aerial programme had also been planned as part of the wider celebrations, reflecting the operational capabilities of the armed forces.

Large crowds gathered along the waterfront to watch the procession, which began in the morning under overcast conditions. The city had hosted several related demonstrations in the days leading up to the main parade, including naval and amphibious exercises.

Weather disruption and cancellation of aerial display

The event was affected by adverse weather conditions, which led to the cancellation of the scheduled aerial display. The decision was taken shortly before the parade began due to safety concerns linked to cloud cover and wind conditions.

As a result, the planned flypast by aircraft formations and parachute units did not take place. The cancellation was communicated during the event, with the ground parade continuing as scheduled.

Despite the disruption, the ground procession proceeded without alteration, with military units maintaining the planned route and timings.

Incident during flag ceremony

A separate incident occurred during the flag-raising ceremony at the start of the event when the national flag fell to the ground after a technical failure in the hoisting mechanism. Reports from the scene indicate that the malfunction was caused by a mechanical issue with the mast system.

The incident prompted an immediate response from organisers, and the King later instructed that the ceremony continue with an alternative flag display from the Guardia Real in order to maintain the formal sequence of the event.

The moment drew attention from attendees and was visible during the live broadcast of the ceremony.

Significance of Leonor’s role

Princess Leonor’s presence at the parade is seen as part of her gradual integration into official military duties. As heir to the throne, she is expected to assume the role of Supreme Commander of the Spanish Armed Forces in the future, following the constitutional role held by the monarch.

Her participation in Vigo follows previous appearances at other national military events, including the National Day parade in Madrid. However, the Vigo ceremony represents her first attendance at the Día de las Fuerzas Armadas alongside King Felipe VI during a full-scale national parade outside the capital.

Officials present included the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, and senior military commanders responsible for coordinating the event.

Final take 

The Día de las Fuerzas Armadas in Vigo combined large-scale military participation with ceremonial significance for the Royal Family. While the event was disrupted by weather conditions and a technical failure during the flag ceremony, it also marked a notable step in Princess Leonor’s public military role, as she appeared for the first time alongside King Felipe VI at the national parade in this context.

Portugal has notified the European Commission that it may temporarily suspend the collection of biometric data under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) at certain border crossing points, in order to manage passenger congestion at airports.

The notification allows Portuguese border authorities to pause the collection of biometric data in specific locations when passenger flows exceed processing capacity. The measure is applied on a limited, case-by-case basis.

According to EU rules, member states may temporarily suspend the biometric registration process at specific border points, but they must inform the Commission in advance and specify where and for how long the suspension applies.

Purpose of the notification

The notification made by Portugal relates to the use of this contingency measure when operational conditions require it, particularly during periods of high passenger volumes. The aim is to reduce delays at border control while maintaining overall border management procedures.

Under the EES framework, suspensions are not permanent changes to the system. They are time-limited operational measures used when standard biometric processing creates congestion or long waiting times.

Portuguese authorities have previously used similar measures during periods of disruption at airports, including Lisbon, where queues increased following the introduction and phased rollout of the system.

Operational context in Portugal

Portugal has already experienced repeated congestion at border control points since the phased introduction of the Entry/Exit System. At Lisbon airport in particular, waiting times increased significantly during earlier stages of implementation, with authorities at times reverting to manual checks when queues became excessive or when infrastructure capacity was exceeded. 

In December 2025, the government temporarily suspended full use of the EES at Lisbon airport for a period of three months after admitting operational constraints in the arrivals area. The measure was taken to manage passenger flow and reduce delays while border staffing and processing capacity were adjusted. 

The system has since been reintroduced in phases, with Portuguese authorities confirming that EES processing is now active again across border points, although they continue to apply operational adjustments where necessary depending on passenger volumes.

What the suspension means in practice

The notification does not mean the suspension of the EES itself. Instead, it refers only to the temporary suspension of biometric data collection at specific border control points when needed.

For travellers arriving in Portugal, this may mean:

• In normal operation, non-EU travellers will continue to be registered in the EES and provide fingerprints and a facial image on first entry 
• During suspension periods at specific locations, border authorities may revert temporarily to manual passport checks 
• Any suspension is expected to be limited in time and location, and does not affect the overall requirement to comply with Schengen entry rules 

In practice, this means most travellers will not notice a change unless they arrive during a period when the contingency measure is activated at a particular airport or border post.

What it means for people travelling to Portugal

For passengers travelling to Portugal from outside the EU and Schengen area, entry requirements remain the same under EU law. Travellers must still present a valid passport and comply with the 90/180-day rule for short stays.

Where the EES is fully operating, first-time visitors will still be required to provide biometric data, and their entry and exit movements will be recorded electronically.

Once the temporary suspension is activated at a specific border point, travellers may experience:

• Faster processing times at passport control 
• Reduced use of biometric kiosks during peak congestion 
• A return to manual document checks in some cases 

However, this does not change eligibility requirements for entry, visa rules, or the legal limits on stay in the Schengen area.

Administrative oversight

The European Commission oversees the implementation of the EES across member states, while national border authorities are responsible for deciding when contingency measures are necessary and notifying Brussels accordingly.

In Portugal, border management operations are carried out by national police authorities at airports and external borders, who apply the system in line with EU regulation and operational guidance.

Outlook

Portugal’s notification to Brussels relates to a temporary operational safeguard within the EU Entry/Exit System rather than a change in policy. It allows biometric processing to be paused at specific border points when necessary to manage congestion, while maintaining the wider requirement for electronic entry and exit recording for non-EU travellers.

A headline saying your annual property tax could rise by 150 per cent is enough to make any homeowner stop scrolling.

That is exactly why Spain’s empty home surcharge is attracting renewed attention.

Under the Housing Law, local councils can apply an additional charge to IBI, Spain’s property tax, on certain homes that remain empty for long periods. In the most extreme cases, the surcharge can reach 150 per cent of the standard tax bill.

For many property owners, especially those with a holiday home, the immediate concern is whether their own property could be affected.

The answer depends on several factors because the measure does not apply automatically to every empty home and it does not automatically apply to every second residence.

Why some empty properties could face much higher IBI bills

The surcharge was introduced as part of Spain’s Housing Law and is intended to encourage long term vacant homes to return to the housing market.

However, the legal requirements are more restrictive than many people realise.

For a property to be considered permanently vacant, it generally must have remained unoccupied for more than two years without a justified reason.

There is another condition that often gets overlooked. The owner must hold four or more residential properties.

This means the measure is not aimed at someone who simply owns a holiday apartment or inherited a second property from a family member.

Even when those conditions are met, the surcharge cannot be applied automatically.

Each local council must first approve the measure through its own municipal tax regulations. Councils are responsible for setting the procedures, evidence requirements and administrative process needed before a property can officially be declared vacant.

As a result, the situation can vary from one municipality to another.

How councils determine whether a property is vacant

Local authorities can use different indicators when assessing whether a property has been left empty.

Among the factors that may be considered are municipal registration records and utility consumption data.

Low water or electricity usage, for example, could help support the conclusion that a property has not been occupied for an extended period.

However, councils must follow a formal procedure before reaching that decision.

Property owners have the right to be heard and present evidence before a dwelling is officially classified as permanently vacant.

The surcharge is accrued on 31 December and is charged annually once the administrative declaration has been completed.

The level of the surcharge depends on how long the property has remained vacant.The standard increase can reach up to 50 per cent of the property’s IBI liability.

If the dwelling has been empty for more than three years, councils may increase the surcharge to as much as 100 per cent.

In some cases, an additional increase of up to 50 percentage points can be added when the owner has two or more vacant residential properties in the same municipality.

That is how the maximum figure of 150 per cent can be reached.

Why many holiday home owners may never be affected

One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding the measure is the belief that all second homes are automatically targeted.

That is not what the law says. The legislation recognises several situations where a property’s lack of occupation is considered justified.

These include temporary relocations for work or education, health related circumstances, dependency situations and social emergencies.

Properties undergoing renovation or major building work are also covered.

The same applies to homes involved in legal disputes. Holiday homes are another important exception.

The law specifically includes second residences among the situations that may justify a property’s lack of permanent occupation, provided certain conditions are met.

Properties that are actively being sold or rented can also fall within the exemption rules.

For homes on the market for sale, the legislation allows a period of up to one year. For rental properties, the reference period is six months.

Only after those time limits have passed may a council consider whether the conditions exist to begin the process of declaring the property vacant.

For homeowners worried by headlines about a 150 per cent tax increase, the key point is that the measure applies only in specific circumstances.

A property must meet the legal definition of a permanently vacant dwelling, the owner must fall within the categories established by the legislation and the local council must have chosen to introduce the surcharge in the first place.

That means many owners of holiday homes across Spain may never be affected at all, despite the attention generated by the headline figure.