Written by Maria Tsanova

Edited by Amelia Kalecinska

 

Abstract

Citizens’ security is achieved by taking measures at a local, national and international level  (Kroczak, 2022,  p.591), which result in “the possibility of free development, regardless of the subject it concerns” (Kroczak, 2022,  p.591). It is a result of communities’ joint action aiming to offer protection and peaceful settlement of disputes. Diplomacy is one of the essential tools of peaceful and effective conduct of international relations (Kroczak, 2022,  p.591). From a bilateral diplomatic perspective, the relations between two countries such as Portugal and Spain can be used as an example of diplomatic success and efficient approach to coordinated and productive policy making (Historical XXII Government – Portuguese Republic, 2021). Moreover, from a multilateral point of view, these countries are putting significant efforts into action which stands for the values of the European Union (Historical XXII Government – Portuguese Republic, 2021). 

Introduction

The relationship between two countries is shaped by many factors and is constantly evolving. It depends on historical events and the shared vision for future progress through unification and mutual support. International security is best achieved through collaboration rather than opposition (Kroczak, 2022). Portugal and Spain exemplify this approach, mutually benefiting by assisting each other in the pursuit of shared interests (Historical XXII Government – Portuguese Republic, 2021).

Historical Context 

Due to their shared border as well as their key geographical location on the Iberian peninsula, Portugal and Spain’s fates have been intertwined for centuries. The relations between the two countries evolved through time and adapted according to the political environment created by their European neighbors. In 206 BCE, during the Roman times, the territories of Hispania Ulterior, “present Andalusia, Extremadura, southern León, and most of modern Portugal” (Britannica, 2024b), and Hispania Citerior, “all of what is now northern, eastern, and south-central Spain” (Hispania, 2023), together made up Hispania (Britannica, 2024b). Later, the Iberian peninsula was occupied by the Visigoths and the Muslims, which shaped the historical background and development of Portugal and Spain in a similar manner. Gradually, smaller Christian states rose against this Islamic conquest of the 8th century, which was a step towards the Reconquista. This Christian movement towards unity and religious preservation, was quite successful and ended in the 15th century with the overrule of the last state under Muslim occupation – Granada. Later, during the European balance of power, Portugal and Spain differed in political views by taking different sides. According to the Pacte de Famille, Spain maintained close relations with France, while Portugal offered its support to Great Britain. During the Seven Years’ War, Spain unsuccessfully attempted to invade Portugal. Nevertheless, having the French military support, Spain succeeded in its goal in the 19th century’s War of the Oranges. However, after being betrayed by the French, Spain was bound to reunite with Portugal and with the help of Great Britain, fought in the Peninsular war. Furthermore, the political system of the two countries was developing in a similar manner in the beginning of the 20th century (Britannica, 2024b). During the 1930s, Portugal was governed by the prime minister António de Oliveira Salazar, whose approach was authoritarian (Britannica, 2024a). Meanwhile, Francisco Franco, leader of the Spanish nationalist forces, ruled Spain in a dictatorial manner (Payne, 2024). In the years following the deaths of these political leaders, the two countries transitioned to democratic forms of government (Britannica, 2024b). 

Political Dynamics

The collapse of the communist regimes and the Soviet Union further enhanced the movement towards democracy. Spain is classified as democratic constitutional monarchy. The ruling monarch takes ceremonial head roles, while the Prime Minister acts as the head of the national government. The government itself has executive, legislative and judicial roles. Spain is divided into seventeen regions and takes a decentralized unitary form. Currently, the king is King Felipe VI and the Prime Minister is Pedro Sánchez (Karacs, 2023). 

Portugal is classified as a parliamentary democracy. Legislation is passed by the unicameral body – the Parliament. There are five administrative regions. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President. Currently, the President is Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the Prime Minister is Luis Montenegro (Buswell, 2023). 

A common feature of the two political systems is the decentralization of power and the movement away from dictatorship. Both countries are members of the European Union, which enhances the free movement of goods, people, and services. Additionally, they take part in the Schengen area, which enhances traveling via the reduction of border controls. The successful participation in the Schengen zones is supported by the constant exchange of information and control measures related to asylum and visa conditions (Ray, 2023). Moreover, the countries share a common main currency, the euro, by being part of the Eurozone. Additionally, they are members of the military alliance NATO, which stimulates cooperation and military unification of powers (Haglund, 2023). 

Without Portugal and Spain, the European identity would not have developed into what it is today.Their democratic politics and liberation from authoritarian regimes have cemented Spain and Portugal as central pillars of European identity, contributing significantly to the European community. This in turn enhanced their contribution to the overall prosperity of the European continent  with their unique cultural identities and intellectual values (Royo, 2007, p. 20). The two countries help each other via modernization and increased economic flexibility (Royo, 2007, p. 24). 

Economic Ties

Spain and Portugal maintain well-developed economic relations and demonstrate a high level of economic development. This development is due to their high level of integration with the rest of the European continent and the consequent strong economic ties. In other words, the geographic proximity of the countries predisposes efficient trade both within the Iberian peninsula and between the peninsula  and the rest of Europe  (Royo, 2007, p. 20). 

Nevertheless, there is a trade imbalance, since the trade happening internally is more developed than that between the Iberian peninsula and the rest of Europe (Trading Economics, 2022). This is due to Spain’s favorable export practices with Portugal – many sectors are characterized by interdependence. The highest percentage of exports consists of automobiles, plastics, mineral fuels, and electronics (Trading Economics, 2022).  When it comes to trade with other European countries, both Spain and Portugal maintain high productivity. Spain exports pork meat, citrus, pure olive oil, and iron. It imports crude petroleum, packaged medicaments, and automobiles (Spain, 2023).  Meanwhile, Portugal exports agglomerated cork, automobiles, refined petroleum, and leather footwear. It imports crude and refined petroleum as well as packaged medicaments (Trading Economics, 2022). Main trading partners of both Spain and Portugal are Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands (Trading Economics, 2022). Therefore, the two countries have well developed business practices at a  national and international level and develop their trade patterns in a similar way  (Royo, 2007, p. 20). 

Diplomatic Initiatives

Portugal and Spain are both taking diplomatic initiatives in order to strengthen even more the existing diplomatic ties between each other. They are concentrating in the areas of “the environment, energy interconnections, infrastructure, transport, agriculture, fisheries, the economy, digital, science, education, culture, as well as matters more linked to the sovereignty of the State, such as foreign policy, police and judicial cooperation and security and defense” (Diplomatic Portal, 2023).  In 2021, the neighboring countries signed four treaties of cooperation, including the new friendship and cooperation treaty, aiming to enshrine the cross-border worker status, and the memorandum of understanding for joint work in four strategic areas of the Recovery and Resilience Facility: “car industry and transition to electric and connected mobility; environmental transition in the field of energy and particular green hydrogen; industry scale and space related activities; and capacity building for digital infrastructure” (Historical XXII Government – Portuguese Republic, 2021). These strategic areas correlate positively with a long-term sustainable progress of the Iberian peninsula.

These treaties of cooperation play a key role in the unification of powers against any terrorist dangers posed by the South, mainly represented by the Sahel region. Moreover, by functioning as an economic unit, they open the Iberian region even more to trade with the rest of the European countries. Another goal is to strengthen the transatlantic alliance with South America (Historical XXII Government – Portuguese Republic, 2021).


Threats to International Security

There are various threats to international security of countries around the globe. They require taking successful mitigation measures in order to preserve the well-being of the countries’ citizens. Portugal and Spain maintain good relations between one another and do not threaten each other’s security. However, they are threatened as a unit. Threats to Portugal and Spain include natural disasters, cyberattacks, international criminal activity, and terrorism. 

The Iberian peninsula is affected by natural disasters, which put the quality of life of both Spanish and Portuguese people at risk. Firstly, seismic activity is recorded in the so-called “hot zones” of the peninsula. The population number affected at a “very strong” degree accounts for about 3,5 million. The population is concentrated in the south regions of the peninsula, although there is nudging of the African continent towards Europe. In other words, the African tectonic plate moves closer to the Eurasian tectonic plate, which is causing tremors and endangering the local population (El Pais, 2021b). Moreover, Portugal and Spain have recorded a new drought extreme for the last 1200 years. This negatively affects agricultural production as well as tourism (Carrington, 2022). 

Additionally, Portugal and Spain are very vulnerable to cyber attacks. A factor contributing to this vulnerability is the lack of cyber-related controls in companies. This is due to the common perception that cyber control is linked to privacy invasion (Jones, 2022). Additionally, the Iberian market has shifted into a more digital format, which attracts more users and exposes them to online services, which lack security measures and put their personal information in danger (Jones, 2022).Lastly, the absence of a rigorous approach to security protocols leaves a critical gap within the workforce, undermining their responsibility to ensure safe working conditions for remote work (Jones, 2022). 

Furthermore, the two countries fight against the international criminal network which enables drug trafficking. Due to its geographical location, Spain has become a receiver of hashish and cocaine from Morocco and Latin America. Additionally, its climate favors the production of marijuana. A typical channel of distribution is through road transportation and more specifically, trucks, which carry fruits and vegetables to other European countries (El Pais, 2021a). Meanwhile, Portugal faces the illegal smuggling of tobacco, cocaine, and cannabis. Therefore, the Iberian peninsula is exposed to significant levels of illegal drug activity (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2019). 

Finally, Portugal and Spain have to deal with terrorist groups of various nationalities, which have immigrated to the peninsula. There are suggestions that ISIS is willing to expand its area of Islamic extremist influence (U.S. Department Of State, 2020). Cases of Islamist attacks have already been recorded (U.S. Department Of State, 2020).

Recommendations

International security is of great importance to countries worldwide. There are many ways in which Portugal and Spain can maintain and further improve their relations. Firstly, peacekeeping should be a top priority and political processes and mediations should be adapted to the constantly changing international environment (United Nations, 2023). Peacebuilding activities can be carried out by taking care of any victims of natural disasters, for instance, and sending monetary or supply aid to a country in need. It is a responsibility of the media to advertise the significance of international cooperation and unification of people of different cultures. Additionally, national borders should be opened to international trade and foreign investment opportunities should be sought (United Nations, 2023). For example, both Spain and Portugal have a huge potential for the realization of renewable energy projects and they can work together towards a greener future by looking for and creating new opportunities for project development of this financial magnitude. Moreover, police departments should exchange information in order to keep an eye on potential cyber- or terrorist attacks. In general, crime prevention can be executed properly through the unification of forces and cooperation. Additionally, stricter border control can prevent the illegal import of drugs. In summary, an efficient way to promote international security is setting it as a main priority and constantly striving towards it with the help of neighboring countries (United Nations, 2023). 

Conclusion

The countries Spain and Portugal share a long history of development. Due to their geographic proximity, they have undergone a similar evolution through time, which is reflected in the analogous conduct of their politics today. They maintain friendly relations and keep taking new diplomatic initiatives in order to strengthen the ties between the two nations (Hispania, 2023). They support each other’s economic growth via exports and imports and are members of the European Union, the Eurozone, Schengen Area, and NATO (Haglund, 2023). Through successful cooperation, Portugal and Spain can fight against threats to their international security such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, international criminal activity, and terrorism (United Nations, 2023). 

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