On 16 March, Dr. Carlota Encina of the Real Institut Elcano addressed the seminar on the topic of US-Spain relations and the Biden presidency. At the start of her talk, Dr. Encina provided a brief survey of the post-Franco bilateral relationship followed by a more wide-ranging discussion of the recent highlights in the relationship during the Trump presidency. The remainder of the presentation discussed some of the emerging themes of the Biden administration´s foreign policy that are relevant for Spain, such as US climate change policy, the US-EU relations, US role in NATO, etc. whilst also focusing particularly on the defense relationship. Dr. Encina raised the issue of the negotiations for continued US access to Spanish military bases, speculating there will be more continuity than change, despite rumors the US might seek an alternative naval base in Morocco. In conclusion, Dr. Encina emphasized the need for Spain to become more adept at lobbying in Washington DC, rather than seeking to influence US policy through Brussels.
