In Frankfurt, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, held a meeting on Tuesday with Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, at the central bank’s headquarters. Luis de Guindos, the ECB vice president, also took part in the discussions. The encounter focused on economic policy and financial stability within the euro area, with Ayuso presenting Madrid’s policy priorities and the region’s role on the European stage.
Ayuso outlined a fiscal policy that supports business growth and investment. She highlighted the strength of the Madrid economy, which expanded by 2.7% in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period in 2023, a rate a couple of tenths above the national average. Regional authorities noted that Madrid contributes 19.4% to Spain’s gross domestic product, reinforcing its status as the leading regional driver of the national economy.
Officials from the regional government emphasized Madrid’s ability to attract foreign investment, accounting for 62.1% of the total national foreign investment in the first quarter of the year. They also reported Madrid as the region with the highest number of business creations, with nearly 10,000 new companies formed between January and April, representing 22.3% of the national total.
Additionally, the administration pointed to external projections for the current year that anticipate an average growth of around 2.2%, with upside potential, slightly higher than the national growth forecast. The meeting underscored Madrid’s continuing role as a key economic engine for Spain and its active engagement with European institutions on issues of investment, employment, and sustainable growth.