The year 2017 has been a turbulent year for Spain. Barcelona and Cambrils both suffered attacks claimed by the Islamic State, resulting in 16 dead and nearly 150 wounded. The Ramblas in Barcelona, world renowned, with specific and unique traits that turn them into an array of experiences, activities and nationalities, became the perfect showcase for international terrorism, to which the confusion of responsibilities, the lack of due diligence and the use of the demonstrations of outrage and pain were added, even though they were presided over by H.M. the King of Spain. 

On the political front, the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia enacted Law 19/2017 of 6 September on the referendum of self-determination and Law 20/2017 of 8 September on the legal and foundational transience of the Catalan Republic, which were annulled by rulings of the Constitutional Court of 17 October and 8 November 2017, respectively. 

Law 21/2017 of 20 September 2017, enacted by that same Parliament, which created the Catalan Agency of Social Protection, was suspended by the Constitutional Court on 17 October, which also admitted the Spanish Government's appeal of unconstitutionality. 

All these successive phases culminated in the call of a unilateral referendum, on 1 October 2017, which would decide the proclamation of the Independent Catalan Republic, as done by the Parliament of Catalonia on 27 October 2017. 

The Spanish government, following a request to the President of the Autonomous Community and with the agreement of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and Ciudadanos and prior approval by an absolute majority of the Senate, adopted and applied article 155 of the Constitution. 

Following this, elections to the Parliament of Catalonia were called for December 21, with Ciudadanos becoming the party with the highest representation, but without obtaining an absolute majority with the sum of the so-called constitutionalist parties. 

As a consequence, the composition, attitude and intentions of the new Parliament were very similar to those of the previous one. 

All these events led to the attribution of criminal responsibility and, during the investigation phase, to numerous preventive arrests which the former President of the Generalitat and others evaded by their departure abroad. 

The economy and society as a whole have been severely affected by all these events, which concern the entire nation. Over 4,500 companies based in Catalonia have changed their registered office or even their address for tax purposes to a different Community. The effects of the insecure situation, still unresolved, will have to be evaluated in the near future and will be coped with, not only economically, on the long term. 

On the international front, Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States of America, with a program of foreseeable great impact on trade and global politics by assuming the review of all international agreements. The suspension of the Trans-Pacific Economic Cooperation Agreement (TPP) and the restructuring of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, or the immigration policy are the expression of the electoral slogan America First. 

In the United Kingdom, the British Parliament authorized the May Government to start Brexit negotiations with the E.U. on 8 February, as it comes into force on 29 March 2019. 

Germany and France, hopefully together with Spain, Italy and Portugal, will lead the overcoming of a crisis caused by the traditional British insular and unsupportive policy. 

The attention paid and the consequent concern do not derive from the establishment of the head office of our Mutua. The events mentioned above affect the whole of Spain. 

In 1948, Professor Pedro Laín Entralgo, summed up in the title of his great essay, Spain as a problem, the magnitude of this whole question, which in one way or another had been formulated by our best intellectuals, from Ganivet to Miguel de Unamuno and Joan Maragall. 

Finally, there has been an event of extraordinary importance at a national level. The no-confidence motion against the Popular Party Government, proposed by PSOE, obtained an absolute parliamentary majority on 1 June, with the compulsory resignation of the government and the formation of a new one presided over by Mr. Pedro Sánchez, Secretary General of PSOE. The new government will continue the regulatory period until the future calling of elections. 

Let us leave politics, as attractive as it is unpredictable, and seek comfort in the economy and affirm once again our faith in Spain, backed by the numbers that sing their exact song. 

Our macroeconomic data show an expanding economy in itself and in comparative terms in Europe. GDP grew by 3.1% compared to 2.3% in the Eurozone, with four years of recovery, three of them above 3%. 

The two main drivers of growth have been, as it should be, consumption and investment. Family spending grew by 2.4% and public spending by 1.6%. Investment increased by 5%, with 6.1% in capital goods, the best sector without any doubt.

Construction grew again by 4.9%. Industry by 3.7%. Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing by 3.7%. Exports were no less than 5% and imports 4.4%. 

All this growth translated into an increase of 2.9% in employment, with the creation of 506,000 jobs and reduced unemployment to 3.41 million registered unemployed and the unemployment rate to 16.4%. The latter figures are still lacerating, but the lowest since 2009. 

Framed by political turbulence and economic progress, the mutual insurance companies collaborating with the Social Security system have continued to work, with increasing responsibility and better means, for the well-being of protected workers.

Mutua Universal has continued to increase its collaboration with public and private concerns, by developing new services and opportunities in order to share knowledge and experience for the good of society.