Uncertainty Over Power Outage Grips Parliament

Members of Parliament were set for a busy afternoon with appearances from the Foreign Affairs Minister, José Manuel Albares, and Telefónica's President, Marc Murtra, who was scheduled to discuss national security issues. However, the widespread blackout has led to the cancellation of all planned activities, leaving many MPs "stranded."

The third floor of the Lower House is now deserted except for MPs waiting, like the rest of the public, for normalcy to return. "I had a flight at 3:00 PM and I've already missed it. I've rescheduled for 10:00 PM, but I'm not sure if I'll make it," says Modesto Pose, a PSOE MP, as he waits in his office.

While Parliament has electricity, internet and mobile coverage are unreliable, working for only five minutes at a time. Ada Santana, the youngest MP currently, also from PSOE, confirms, "I managed to charge my phone earlier, but it's no longer possible," while noting that her family in the Canary Islands still has power.

Many MPs have taken advantage of the electricity in the Lower House to have lunch in the cafeteria. However, the service has been severely impacted: most of the food served was cold, and many struggled to pay in cash.

Maria Adrio, a PSOE MP for Pontevedra this term, believes Spain is prepared to handle a high-caliber situation and is confident the situation will improve throughout the day.