MADRID: Spanish unemployment fell for the first time in two years to reach 26.26 percent in the second quarter, official data showed Thursday, as the tourist season created demand for workers.

The number of jobless people fell by 225,200 over the quarter to a total of 5,977,500 jobseekers registered in the country. During the first three months of the year, the unemployment rate stood at a record 27.2 percent.