Security Outlook for Spain 2022

Spain is a safe place, where its citizens enjoy civil rights and liberties guaranteed by the State, the Security Forces and private security entities. However, we face significant threats and challenges from many different areas. What is certain is that the turbulent transition period from 2020 to 2022 has contributed to an increase in the feeling of insecurity: whereby a new geopolitical and geoeconomic conflict began to loom on the horizon, in addition to growing economic crises, increased conflict and political fragmentation.

In terms of public safety, data from the Interior Ministry show an increase in criminal offenses in 2021, although the crime rate is the lowest of recent historical overview -41.3 per 1000 inhabitants-. In this regard, property crimes -35% of the total- and the apparent increase in violence against persons stand out.

Organized crime is one of the greatest current challenges to the stability and development of any state, with drug trafficking representing the leading illicit activity, as it highlights the ability of these organizations to infiltrate and undermine the foundations of the institutional and economic structure of nations. As for terrorism, it is a constantly evolving threat and the Internet has facilitated the dissemination of violent propagandistic content, in addition to the emergence of new demonstrations on both sides of the ideological extremes.