Madrid marks Spain’s National Day with a military parade watched by the royal family. While Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is booed by sections of the crowd, a special gesture towards Ceuta and Melilla and the debut of the Legion’s new mascot also attract attention.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
On this Monday, 12 October, Spain marked its National Day with a large military parade in Madrid. King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Crown Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía watched the event, which this year was also shaped by political tensions and the upcoming early parliamentary election on 29 November.
Boos for Pedro Sánchez
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was booed by sections of the crowd as he arrived and left. Some spectators called him a “traitor”. The royal family, by contrast, was greeted with applause and shouts of “Long live the King!” (¡Viva el Rey!).
The tense political atmosphere was also reflected in the reactions of other politicians. Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid region, expressed the hope that this might be Sánchez’s last National Day parade as prime minister. She also voiced her support for Ceuta. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP), also attended the event.
The leader of the right-wing populist Vox party, Santiago Abascal, was absent from the parade in Madrid for the second year running. Instead, he travelled to Ceuta, where he appeared alongside Jordan Bardella, leader of the French party National Rally (Rassemblement National). Abascal explained his decision in part by saying that he did not want to stand on the same platform as the Sánchez government.
The King and Queen send a message of support to Ceuta and Melilla
The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla played a special role this year. For the first time, the royal family invited representatives of civil society from both cities to a reception at the Royal Palace. The invitation was seen as a sign of solidarity with the two Spanish territories on the North African coast.
The situation in Ceuta has been a concern for Spanish politicians since the end of July. In view of the situation there, no military units from Ceuta took part in the parade in Madrid this year. The troops concerned remained on duty in the enclave.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are scheduled to visit Ceuta and Melilla on 13 and 14 October. This means the two cities will remain in the public spotlight beyond Spain’s National Day.
Princess Leonor temporarily loses her medal
There was also a minor incident involving the royal family during the ceremony. The insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece worn by Crown Princess Leonor came loose and fell off during the honours. The princess picked it up and initially put it in her pocket. King Felipe VI later reattached it to her uniform.
Leonor attended the event in the Army’s full-dress uniform after completing her military training. Her father wore the uniform of a Captain General of the Air Force.
New goat becomes the Legion’s centre of attention
Babieca, the Spanish Legion’s new mascot, also attracted attention. The two-year-old, light-brown goat made its first public appearance at the National Day parade. It wore a red-and-white cape bearing the insignia of the Legion and the 8th Battalion.
The name is a reference to Babieca, the famous horse of the medieval Castilian military leader El Cid. The goat replaces Baraka, a ram that served as the unit’s mascot in 2025. Animals have a long tradition in the Legion and have been part of the force’s public image for many years.
Military parade involving thousands of participants
Around 4,400 members of the armed forces and other security services took part in this year’s parade. The procession also featured 144 vehicles, 39 motorcycles, 50 aircraft, 32 helicopters, 286 horses and five dogs.
New additions included 8×8 Dragón armoured combat vehicles, which made their debut at the parade. During the aerial display, Eurofighter jets replaced the older C-101 aircraft used by the Patrulla Águila aerobatic team. The aircraft painted the colours of the Spanish flag across the sky.
The Spanish flag was unfurled by paratrooper José Antonio Lago Rubio, who, according to the event information, has completed more than 12,500 jumps. He had previously carried out the same task in 2011. During the tribute to fallen service personnel, a Pilatus C-21 aircraft from the Mirlo formation also flew overhead.
National Day overshadowed by election campaigning
Spain’s National Day took place amid a period of political tension. With the early parliamentary election on 29 November approaching, several politicians used the occasion to publicly reinforce their positions. The boos directed at Sánchez, Abascal’s appearance in Ceuta and the symbolic invitation extended to representatives from Ceuta and Melilla added an extra political dimension to the event.
The reception at the Royal Palace was intended to round off the celebrations, with more than 1,000 guests expected to attend. Of the 22 members of the government, 18 took part in the parade. Those absent included Transport Minister Óscar Puente, Health Minister Mónica García, Minister for Social Rights Pablo Bustinduy and Minister for Children and Youth Sira Rego.
The parade once again took place along the Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos. The traditional route had been modified due to construction work in the Paseo de la Castellana area.
Spain’s National Day therefore served not only as a tribute to the armed forces and national unity, but also reflected the country’s current political divisions. Alongside the appearance of the royal family and the military display, reactions to Sánchez and the monarchy’s gesture towards Ceuta and Melilla were among the defining features of this year’s celebrations.
