It's not often that an EU member state decides to hold a national election just as it takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union. But that's exactly what the Spanish government did on July 23, just three weeks after starting its six-month stint at the helm of the EU. In this first part of the programme, we meet movers and shakers in Madrid to take the political temperature following the inconclusive result of Spain's July 23 parliamentary vote.

Acting Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, from the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE), insists that Spain's EU presidency is firmly on track and making important decisions, despite a few initial delays.

We also speak to Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, whose conservative Partido Popular (People's Party) won the election but did not succeed in building a governing coalition.

The far right Vox party's Hermann Tertsch expresses his concerns about a possible government of "extremists and ex-terrorists" as he puts it, going forward.

And Ernest Urtasun, representing the left-wing bloc Sumar, shares his optimism about four more years of progressive politics if a deal is found with the incumbent Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

In our motion design segment, Sophie Samaille reports on how Spain benefits from EU cohesion funding.

Plus, we report on how Spain and the EU are trying to bridge the digital divide and improve connectivity for all.

Read moreWatch part two of the show

Show presented by Armen Georgian, produced by Johan Bodin, filmed on location by Johan Bodin and Stéphane Bodenne, with Luke Brown. Editor-in-chief: Caroline de Camaret.

_{Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the DG Regional and Urban Policy. Neither the European Union nor the DG Regional and Urban Policy can be held responsible for them.}