The first speech by a Pope in Congress will mark a key week for Spanish politics

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Spain will continue to monopolize the institutional agenda in the coming days with an unprecedented event in the country's democratic history. The Pontiff will deliver a speech this Monday before the Cortes Generales gathered in the Congress of Deputies, becoming the first Pope to intervene in the Spanish Lower House.

Expectation is at its highest for an intervention that will bring together deputies and senators in a solemn session. Alongside the Pope will be the President of the Congress, Francina Armengol, and the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán, in addition to the main State authorities and representatives of political forces.

Attendees will include the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; the leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo; former Executive presidents and other political leaders. Leo XIV's speech is shaping up to be one of the most prominent moments of his trip to Spain and one of the most relevant institutional milestones of recent years.

Once the papal visit concludes, the focus will return to political confrontation. The Congress will resume its ordinary activity on Wednesday with a government control session in which Sánchez will have to answer questions from Feijóo and several parliamentary partners about the situation of the legislature.

The latest developments related to the so-called Leire case will focus a large part of the political debate. The PP will take advantage of the session to intensify pressure on the Executive and once again demand early elections, while pointing to Junts and the PNV for maintaining their parliamentary support for the Government.

Parliamentary activity will also be marked by the investigation committees opened in the Senate. The investigations into the Koldo case and the management of SEPI will expand their list of witnesses, while the Director General of the Civil Guard, Mercedes González, will appear to give explanations about her meetings with Leire Díez.

The week will conclude with a new institutional image of high symbolic value. Pedro Sánchez will accompany Leo XIV on his visit to the Gran Canaria port of Arguineguín, where the Pontiff will meet with migrants and volunteers, putting the finishing touch to a tour that has completely conditioned the Spanish political agenda.