Spain's train crash sparks outrage a month before the election

Rail safety is now likely to dominate the campaign, with Spaniards voting in a month. Two crashes on the same high-speed line have killed more than 100 people this year.

Spain spent about 16 per cent of its high-speed rail budget on maintenance between 2018 and 2022, against 33 to 39 per cent in Italy, Germany and France, European Commission data show.

The Madrid–Seville line is the only one in Spain using a 1970s German-made LZB control system, now being phased out. An engineers' association spokesman said the line should close until then, though he called that a decision for politicians.

Survivors of Spain's deadliest rail crash, in 2013, say more investment in safety is the only way to stop further accidents. The train drivers' union says blaming rail workers will not prevent future crashes.