Andalucia is edging closer to a new regional government after fresh talks between the conservative PP and right-wing Vox suggested a political agreement could be finalised within days.
Regional president Juanma Moreno is expected to ask parliament speaker Jesus Aguirre on Tuesday to schedule an investiture vote ‘as soon as possible’, despite no formal coalition deal having yet been announced.
Behind the scenes, however, both parties are increasingly signalling that an agreement is inevitable.
Senior figures from the PP and Vox held another round of negotiations on Monday at the Andalusian Parliament building in Sevilla, with teams led by Vox spokesman Manuel Gavira reportedly working through the final details of a four-year governing pact.
Both sides privately acknowledge they have little alternative but to reach an understanding if a stable government is to be formed.
Budget pressures mounting
Moreno has repeatedly stressed the need to establish a government quickly so work can begin on Andalucia’s next budget.
‘The sooner we start, the easier it will be because we’re already running late,’ he said during an event in Jerez, noting that preparation of the regional budget traditionally begins in June.
The PP insists its priority is securing an agreement that provides ‘stability, moderation, reindustrialisation and improved social policies’, while maintaining that its preferred option remains governing alone.
However, party officials have not ruled out the possibility of a coalition government if negotiations ultimately require it.
‘National priority’ remains sticking point
The main obstacle in talks remains Vox’s demand for so-called ‘national priority’ measures, a policy that would prioritise Spanish citizens in access to certain public services and benefits.
The PP’s regional secretary-general, Antonio Repullo, admitted that difficulties remain over how some of the proposed measures could be applied in practice.
Vox, meanwhile, has made clear that the issue is non-negotiable and has featured in previous agreements the party has reached elsewhere in Spain.
Tensions emerge in Sevilla
The issue has also sparked friction between the two parties at municipal level.
The mayor of Sevilla, Jose Luis Sanz, recently described the national priority proposal as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’, adding that he would refuse to implement it in the city while he remained mayor.
His comments drew a sharp response from Vox’s Sevilla leader and newly elected Andalucian MP Cristina Pelaez.
‘It’s quite possible that Moreno will have to accept it,’ she warned, while reminding the mayor that municipal elections are due in just one year’s time.
Despite the public disagreement, both parties have sought to downplay the dispute and insist negotiations remain constructive.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
