Unemployment in Spain rises to 10.18% and misses the government's temporary target

Unemployment in Spain rose to 10.18% in the third quarter, up from 9.87% in the previous quarter, according to the National Statistics Institute. Despite creating 73,600 new jobs, the labor market could not absorb all available workers, leading to an increase of 95,900 unemployed individuals. The rise in unemployment coincided with a record increase in the active population, which grew by 169,500 to 25.44 million. The government's goal is to stabilize unemployment below 10% by November 29, ahead of early elections. Economic growth is projected at 2.6% for the year, supported by domestic demand and investment. In 2025, Spain's GDP grew by 2.8%, outperforming the EU average.