Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wanted to campaign on inequality and housing, but the second major rail accident this year has put his government’s competence on trial.

© Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters

After the country’s second major rail disaster in a year, Spaniards were confronting questions about the safety of their once-vaunted rail system.

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The accident, the second in less than a year on the same busy rail line, was one of the deadliest in the country’s history.

© Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

One train rear-ended another, sending two carriages down an embankment.

Residents say a proposed Chinese car plant in northern Spain will create new jobs. Others say it’s a long-term risk, distilling a debate about the costs and perks of ties to China.

© Daniel Rodrigues for The New York Times