Far right takes share of power in third Spain region
Published: 04:06 PM,Jun 30,2023 | EDITED : 08:06 PM,Jun 30,2023
MADRID: Spain's right-wing Popular Party and the far-right Vox said Friday that they had reached a deal to jointly govern the southwestern Extremadura region, their latest tie-up just weeks before a snap election.
It was their second such agreement since the May 28 local and regional elections that saw both parties make gains, in results that dealt a major blow to the ruling Socialists and their hard-left coalition partner Podemos.
That prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to announce an early general election for July 23.
Extremadura becomes the third of Spain's 17 regions to be jointly run by the PP and Vox, following a first such arrangement in the northern Castilla y Leon region last year, and another in Valencia earlier this month.
Extremadura's regional government will be headed by the PP's Maria Guardiola, while Vox will hold the portfolio overseeing forest management and the rural sectors, with the PP holding onto the key agriculture ministry in this predominantly rural area.
'The agriculture department will be held by the PP and Vox will hold the forest management and rural world department,' Guardiola told a news conference.
Opinion polls have long indicated the PP would win the July 23 vote but without an absolute majority, meaning the party would likely have to seek Vox's support to govern.
Sanchez, who has repeatedly raised alarm about the prospects for Spain of a PP-Vox government, said the deal in Extremadura did not bode well for the region.
'We know that where there is a governing coalition [between the PP and Vox], that region is unfortunately going to take a step backwards and as a result, Spain will take a step backwards,' he told reporters in Brussels.
The two parties have also inked a deal for the Balearic Islands, where Vox has agreed to abstain in order to ensure the investiture of the PP's Marga Prohens as head of the regional government.
Although the PP will govern alone in the Mediterranean archipelago, it will be supported by Vox in the regional parliament.
Details of their agreement in Valencia sparked widespread criticism after the PP aligned itself with Vox on several issues, notably dropping the concept of 'gender violence' -- abuse perpetrated specifically by a man against a woman -- in favour of 'intra-family violence' that applies to any violence within a domestic context.
The Extremadura agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations that were complicated by the remarks of Vox's deputy leader in Valencia, who had denied the existence of gender-based violence.
Earlier this month, Guardiola had quickly ruled out any agreement with 'a party that denies male violence against women', but was later pushed to enter talks with Vox.
Her opposition had initially been supported by the PP until its leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said her reaction had been 'inappropriate'.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Guardiola defended her change of heart, saying the agreement sought 'to reflect everything that unites us while setting aside everything that separates us'.
'I never lied, my principles haven't changed and I have just engaged in dialogue,' she said, explaining that although the agreement did not refer 'to male violence against women as such' it contained a 'rejection of any male chauvinist language' within the region.
'It's better for me to be disappointed than to spoil the future for Extremadura's citizens,' she said.
Within the Valencia government, Vox holds the deputy leader's position and runs two regional departments, but the party will hold less weight in Extremadura. - AFP
It was their second such agreement since the May 28 local and regional elections that saw both parties make gains, in results that dealt a major blow to the ruling Socialists and their hard-left coalition partner Podemos.
That prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to announce an early general election for July 23.
Extremadura becomes the third of Spain's 17 regions to be jointly run by the PP and Vox, following a first such arrangement in the northern Castilla y Leon region last year, and another in Valencia earlier this month.
Extremadura's regional government will be headed by the PP's Maria Guardiola, while Vox will hold the portfolio overseeing forest management and the rural sectors, with the PP holding onto the key agriculture ministry in this predominantly rural area.
'The agriculture department will be held by the PP and Vox will hold the forest management and rural world department,' Guardiola told a news conference.
Opinion polls have long indicated the PP would win the July 23 vote but without an absolute majority, meaning the party would likely have to seek Vox's support to govern.
Sanchez, who has repeatedly raised alarm about the prospects for Spain of a PP-Vox government, said the deal in Extremadura did not bode well for the region.
'We know that where there is a governing coalition [between the PP and Vox], that region is unfortunately going to take a step backwards and as a result, Spain will take a step backwards,' he told reporters in Brussels.
The two parties have also inked a deal for the Balearic Islands, where Vox has agreed to abstain in order to ensure the investiture of the PP's Marga Prohens as head of the regional government.
Although the PP will govern alone in the Mediterranean archipelago, it will be supported by Vox in the regional parliament.
Details of their agreement in Valencia sparked widespread criticism after the PP aligned itself with Vox on several issues, notably dropping the concept of 'gender violence' -- abuse perpetrated specifically by a man against a woman -- in favour of 'intra-family violence' that applies to any violence within a domestic context.
The Extremadura agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations that were complicated by the remarks of Vox's deputy leader in Valencia, who had denied the existence of gender-based violence.
Earlier this month, Guardiola had quickly ruled out any agreement with 'a party that denies male violence against women', but was later pushed to enter talks with Vox.
Her opposition had initially been supported by the PP until its leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said her reaction had been 'inappropriate'.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Guardiola defended her change of heart, saying the agreement sought 'to reflect everything that unites us while setting aside everything that separates us'.
'I never lied, my principles haven't changed and I have just engaged in dialogue,' she said, explaining that although the agreement did not refer 'to male violence against women as such' it contained a 'rejection of any male chauvinist language' within the region.
'It's better for me to be disappointed than to spoil the future for Extremadura's citizens,' she said.
Within the Valencia government, Vox holds the deputy leader's position and runs two regional departments, but the party will hold less weight in Extremadura. - AFP