The government points to the long period of dictatorship that Spain emerged from in the late 1970s.

"Since then we have been slowly advancing in our strategy definition; I think we will consolidate it during this legislature," said Diego López Garrido, secretary of state for the EU, who claims that Spain now has clear policy guidelines focusing on Europe and being a leader in relations with Latin America, as well as reinforcing the country's role in Africa and Asia.

"Our cooperation policy is cutting edge, and it was Spain that got the EU to lift the sanctions against Cuba," López Garrido added.

Be that as it may, each democratic administration has exercised a personal style of foreign policy with wildly varying visions of how best to defend the country's interests abroad. Former Socialist leader Felipe González was often seen with other European leaders.

The Popular Party's José María Aznar went down in history as a staunch supporter of George W Bush's policies, including the Iraq war. Now, the Socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is the proponent of concepts such as the "Alliance of Civilizations" and a staunch defender of the United Nations.

Three decades after the advent of democracy, Spain continues to seek its place in the world's great economic forums. It was excluded from the wealthiest nations' club because at the time of its formation Spain was no such thing, but was also left out of the emerging economies club in the late 1990s because by then it was not one of them either.

 Moroccans are pictured in front of an advertisement reading "work abroad, expenses paid" during a recruitment campaign for agricultural labourers to work in Spain, on January 13, 2009 in Fes. The Moroccan National Agency for the promotion of Employment and Skill (ANAPEC), in collaboration with the Spanish Immigration board, is launching a recruitment of 15,600 seasonal labourers to come to Spain to pick strawberries. Candidates must be married with children so as to assure the Spanish authorities that they do not intend to stay in Spain. AFP PHOTO/ABDELHAK SENNA

At over EUR 1 trillion, Spain's GDP is the fifth largest in the euro zone and the eighth in the world, ahead of Canada and Russia, who are nevertheless in the G-8 club. In terms of purchasing power, however, Spain ranks 12th after India, Brazil and Mexico, who are members of the G-20.

"We have always been a bit isolated, but not just because of Franco or because the democratic governments have done better or worse," said Juan José Toribio, a professor at the IESE business school in Madrid. "There are other, more complex conditions, such as the historical evolution of the economy."

26 January 2009

text: El Pais / Cristina Galindo / Expatica