The rift VOX has triggered within its coalition governments with the PP across five autonomous communities has surprised more than a few, including many inside VOX itself. It’s the kind of chapter you get when a party is led by an apparent intellectual who sometimes acts with a hint of autocratism.
Overnight, a relationship that looked like a genuine alliance between close partners has dissolved into a rupture that hardly lagged behind the dramatic showdowns seen on reality television.
The official trigger seems to be an ultimatum issued by VOX to the PP, demanding no voluntary reception of unaccompanied minors crowded in the Canary Islands and Ceuta. The PP refused to take on such a goal in its regional administrations. In Valencia, reports suggest around 23 minors could be eligible for welcoming. These numbers resemble astronomical estimates, and in practice they are often constrained by political and procedural barriers. It’s not that the PP, citing its self-styled Christian humanitarianism, behaves as paragons of solidarity toward vulnerable youths who are already here and in dire conditions; the evidence is that, days earlier, the PP, through its parliamentary spokesperson, this self-styled Samaritan named Miguel Tellado, pressed the government to deploy the Navy to block boats arriving to the Canaries. The mechanics of that demand leave little to the imagination.
Nobody seemed to be truly worried about these minors, at least not from the PP’s perspective. It’s striking that Abascal would choose that as the stated pretext. If the PP wanted to show concern, it likely did so mainly for two reasons: first, because the main issue lies in Ceuta, where they govern, and in the Canary Islands, where they govern in coalition with Coalición Canaria, and from there they face demands for practical solutions; second, because the distribution, as accepted so far, hinges on voluntary participation and thus is easy to disregard, which has indeed happened. It reads as a performative gesture for public optics. Consequently, the national government has proposed amending the law to ensure distribution in such cases isn’t solely voluntary.
The VOX gambit thus appears to carry another motive: pure electoral posturing. Their latest electoral results have fallen short of expectations, and to complicate matters they now face a right-wing competitor who is already taking a bite out of VOX’s support. Alvise and his catchphrase Se acabó la Fiesta is a real threat and has announced plans to run in the general elections. He brands VOX as the “little far-right party” that is hesitant and complacent. Time will tell who benefits from that dynamic.
The leadership shift at VOX could be telling but remains uncertain. For many within the party, besides the surprise, there has been a clamor to shed the positions they once criticized. Some have realized, within a matter of days, that their allegiance may be misplaced and moved toward the more favorable light. There is, however, a member of VOX who stands as an exception to this churn: Llanos Massó, president of the Valencian Parliament, who has remained in her role despite others in the regional council being replaced. She continues to draw a substantial salary while the regional autonomy framework remains challenged.
Among the dismissed officials is Vicente Barrera, the vice president and head of Culture. He was in charge of the Misteri festival and the Palmeral project. He chose to allocate 300,000 euros to a Madrid-based taurine organization rather than to regional Patrimonies of Humanity, a decision seen by many as indicating a misplaced priority. His departure changes little about what some call a missed opportunity to invest in culture and heritage.
The administration in Valencia looks set for a tough stretch. Mazón needs VOX votes to maintain governing confidence; without them, the alliance could crumble. If the votes come through, VOX may reshape the political landscape in ways that will be debated for some time. It will be watched closely in municipalities like Elche, where VOX’s support is essential for governance in certain spaces, though not all. The next developments will reveal where the political wind is blowing and which way alliances will tilt in the near future.
In the end, the political equation remains unsettled. The coalition partners will need to navigate competing imperatives, public expectations, and the internal pressures that come with leadership changes. The coming weeks will determine whether this is a temporary quarrel or a structural shift that redefines the alliances in the regional governments. Observers will be watching to see if Vox and its partners can seal a workable path forward or if the rift will widen into a more comprehensive realignment.
(citation: authorities document ongoing coverage of the regional political shifts and coalition negotiations).