While Europe’s major military powers have acknowledged that meeting President Donald Trump’s possible push to allocate up to 5% of their economic output to defense would be challenging, this target poses an especially steep hurdle for Spain.
As the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy, Spain was ranked last among the 32 NATO member states last year for its defense spending as a percentage of GDP, estimated at 1.28%.
This is despite NATO’s 2014 commitment for member nations to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense—a goal that 23 countries were expected to meet last year due to heightened concerns over the war in Ukraine.
When questioned, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his administration have consistently reaffirmed Spain’s dedication to NATO and European security.
Since 2018, Spain has raised its defense budget by approximately 50%, from €8.5 billion ($8.9 billion) to €12.8 billion ($13.3 billion) in 2023. The Sánchez government cites this increase as evidence of its intent to meet NATO’s 2% target by 2029, following years of underinvestment.
However, analysts and former officials argue that further increasing defense spending—especially on an accelerated timeline—would be an uphill battle. They attribute this to Spain’s historical aversion to militarism, shaped by its authoritarian past, and its geographical distance from Europe’s eastern front.
The Challenge of Military Spending
“The truth is defense spending is not popular in European countries, whether it’s Spain or another European country,” explained Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, a former Spanish ambassador to NATO and a current member of the European Parliament with the conservative Popular Party.
He noted, “We grew accustomed after the Second World War to delegate our ultimate defense to the United States of America through its military umbrella, and specifically its nuclear umbrella.”
Pascual de la Parte conceded, “It’s true that we need to spend more,” highlighting the gap between Spain’s current budget and NATO’s goals.
A Complicated History with NATO
Spain’s NATO membership has a relatively short history. The nation joined the alliance in 1982, a year after surviving an attempted military coup and just seven years after the death of its long-time dictator, General Francisco Franco.
In 1986, a narrow majority of Spaniards voted in favor of staying in NATO during a national referendum. However, it wasn’t until 1999 that Spain fully integrated into NATO’s military structure.
“We are a very young member of NATO,” noted Carlota Encina, a defense and security analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid.
Public sentiment on military engagement in Spain has generally been negative. Polls showed widespread opposition to Spain’s involvement in the 2003 Iraq War.
However, more recent surveys indicate growing support for NATO. A March 2022 poll by the state-run Centre for Sociological Studies (CIS) revealed that approximately 70% of Spaniards supported NATO sending military aid to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. Still, only about half of respondents backed increasing Spain’s own defense budget.
Political analysts, such as Ignasi Guardans, a former Spanish member of the European Parliament, emphasize that militarism remains politically unpopular.
Many Spaniards associate their military with humanitarian missions, such as the deployment of thousands of soldiers to aid recovery efforts after the Valencia flash floods. “Now the army has returned to have some respect,” Guardans remarked, “but that’s not NATO.”
Encina added that Spanish politicians face consistent public pressure to prioritize spending on social programs over defense. “The thinking goes, ‘Why do we need to invest in defense and not in social issues?’” she said.
Spain’s Contributions Beyond GDP Metrics
Despite lagging in terms of defense spending as a percentage of GDP, Spanish officials argue that the nation’s overall contributions to NATO and European security extend beyond financial metrics.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles defended Spain’s role during a recent press conference, stating, “Spain, as a member of NATO, is a serious, trustworthy, responsible, and committed ally.” She pointed out that Spain has more than 3,800 personnel deployed in peace missions, many of them under NATO.
Spain’s armed forces are currently involved in 16 overseas missions, including NATO operations in Latvia, Slovakia, and Romania, as well as a major U.N. mission in Lebanon involving nearly 700 soldiers. Additionally, Spain shares the Morón and Rota naval bases with the U.S. Navy, with the latter hosting six AEGIS destroyers.
Transparency and Metrics Issues
Analysts have also noted discrepancies in how NATO members account for their defense spending. Spain often exceeds its official defense budget by 20% to 30% annually through extraordinary contributions, but this additional spending is not always transparent. “The reality is, the whole thing is not very transparent,” Guardans observed.
Pascual de la Parte pointed out that NATO’s 2% target is not a perfect measure. He explained, “There is no agreement between allies in choosing which criteria decide the real spending effort.”
For example, while some countries include pensions for military personnel in their defense budgets, others do not. “Ultimately, they can involve very disparate realities,” he added.
As Spain continues to navigate its defense commitments, the challenge of balancing NATO obligations with domestic priorities and public opinion remains significant.