The CIS is much more than just election polls. This was demonstrated by the outstanding presentation at the Ateneo de Madrid of the collection "Spain 2025: Structure and Social Change," a collective and pluralistic work, heir to the great historical reports, which seeks to offer a broad and rigorous vision of the country and its sociological richness. We are a country of reference, respected and regarded, that can afford to have its own strategic approaches.” President Jose Felix Tezanos began his address by responding to some criticisms: “This is a very serious organization, whose fundamental purpose is to conduct an objective analysis of social reality, its feelings, values, impulses, and needs. It is not an institution of fortune tellers who try to predict what will happen before it happens, but rather a very serious entity for scientific research.” Tezanos wondered how we can define Spain today, compared to when the CIS was founded in 1963, when 85% of households did not have a car, two-thirds of families did not have a refrigerator or hot water, 48% of homes did not have a bathroom or shower, and 16% did not even have running water. Furthermore, more than half of the population did not have a television at home. “The image of Spain today is that of a country that has achieved very important economic milestones, with an average life expectancy of 85 years, like Japan, due to its climate, Mediterranean diet, and healthcare. We are a benchmark country, respected and recognized, that can afford to develop its own strategic approaches, regardless of the worrying trends currently occurring in the world.”     In light of the study's conclusions, Tezanos listed several key factors that define contemporary Spanish society: “An older population, less reproductive, fewer people are getting married, having fewer children; we have the lowest birth rate in the world; we are a society that welcomes immigrants and treats them well. A more cultured country, more well-traveled, more open, more inclined to enjoy the finer things in life, a more egalitarian, more feminist, secular, more dynamic society, with more single people, smaller families, and one that is suffering from the impact of new forms of crime, especially online.” Tezanos emphasized the plurality of the work, with more than 140 specialists, "who contribute extensive knowledge, with a very comprehensive volume of information and monitoring of more than 400 social indicators, with their evolution parameters from 1975 to 2025." The president of the CIS noted that the peculiarity of the Spanish system, its accelerated modernization process, has generated many expectations for the future, but also frustrations, which are reflected in a pessimistic view of our reality, when there are many more positive aspects that, sometimes, are not translated into real social perception. And he wanted to focus particularly on the situation of young people, which he considers one of the most important challenges. “Young people face uncertain futures, with a serious unemployment problem, persistent crises in which their income is not enough to buy a home or establish the desired family relationships, and little prospect of continuity for their future plans.”     Professor Constanza Tobío, winner of the National Prize for Sociology and Political Science and co-editor of the book, described the work as a privilege and a valuable gift that Spanish sociology offers to society. She stated that gender equality can be considered the central theme throughout the work, noting that the gap continues to narrow, especially in education and training, but that there are still areas where progress needs to be made in the highest positions: “We need more female presidents and mayors.” Constanza Tobío: A work that deals with the Spain of today, which contains the Spain of yesterday and the Spain of tomorrow.” According to Tobío, all of this is related to the profound transformation of the family. “The egalitarian family is a reality in terms of economic provision, but there are still achievements to be made, such as sharing caregiving responsibilities.” Inequality is another element that forms part of the work. He also pointed to the "growth of belief in science in recent years due to the secularization of society" as one of the milestones of these years. Constanza Tobío believes that the work functions as a mirror in which we can look at ourselves to get to know ourselves better and continue moving forward.   In his speech, historian and economist Carles Manera, one of the authors who participated in Spain 2025, analyzed the economic reality of a country that inspires confidence, with higher growth rates in Spain (more than 2% GDP growth) compared to the average of the European Union (just over 0.7%) and the main EU countries. Carles Manera: “A serious country that people trust” Spain has reduced its external debt and risk premium, and highlighted the importance of national public investment, on the one hand, and European investment projects, on the other, as well as the spectacular evolution of tourism, with great progress since 2022 (almost 100 million tourists in 2025). “We are selling more abroad: more advanced goods and services, which indicates an improvement in our growth. We have adapted better to the negative impacts of energy shocks: cuts in electricity prices, thanks to renewable energies, for example.” According to the advisor of the Bank of Spain, the increase in the Minimum Wage has improved the consumption of many households, contributing to reducing inequality, and he highlighted the resilience and the adequate management of the crises experienced in recent years (from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine and trade conflicts).     The presentation concluded with a speech by the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños, who described the work as "absolutely magnificent," highlighting its reflective value in understanding the future challenges of Spanish society, as well as the impact of social networks, science and digitalization. Félix Bolaños: “A public service to democracy”. He emphasized that the scientific approach allows for a rigorous analysis of these challenges and highlighted social science as a key tool for decision-making and the design of effective public policies. Bolaños defined the Spain 2025: Structure and Social Change collection as “a public service to democracy” due to its detailed analysis of the last 25 years.

The CIS presents "Spain 2025: Structure and Social Change" at the Ateneo de Madrid. The president of the CIS and co-editor of the work, José Félix Tezanos, will moderate the event, which will include presentations by Professor of Sociology and co-editor Constanza Tobío, and one of the authors, Professor of Economic History Carles Manera. During the event, participants will discuss the different volumes and subjects of this work, which analyzes the structure and evolution of Spanish society during the first quarter of the 21st century. The event will also be attended by the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, who will be in charge of closing the event. This work is based on extensive empirical data and is the result of the collaboration of 143 professors of sociology, political science, and economics. It provides analyses and data on various social trends in different areas of Spanish society. The five volumes continue the research and analysis work that the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) has been developing uninterruptedly in recent years. To attend the event, you can register here: http://t.ly/gc6Kr

The CIS presents "Spain 2025: Structure and Social Change" at the Ateneo de Madrid. The president of the CIS and co-editor of the work, José Félix Tezanos, will moderate the event, which will include presentations by Professor of Sociology and co-editor Constanza Tobío, and one of the authors, Professor of Economic History Carles Manera. During the event, participants will discuss the different volumes and subjects of this work, which analyzes the structure and evolution of Spanish society during the first quarter of the 21st century. The event will also be attended by the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, who will be in charge of closing the event. This work is based on extensive empirical data and is the result of the collaboration of 143 professors of sociology, political science, and economics. It provides analyses and data on various social trends in different areas of Spanish society. The five volumes continue the research and analysis work that the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) has been developing uninterruptedly in recent years. To attend the event, you can register here: http://t.ly/gc6Kr