Fitur proves to be a backdrop for networking among regional leaders who see professional connections forming in a more relaxed setting. This week, the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, met with colleagues from Murcia, Andalusia, and Castilla-La Mancha to reinforce their shared support network at the Madrid tourism fair. The gathering framed a strategic plan for an equalization fund, a mechanism the four regional governments are pressing the national government to adopt in response to perceived imbalances in how funds are distributed.
Experts describe this equalization as a relief tool intended to operate until a reform of the current distribution model is agreed upon. That model, in place since 2014, would bring the four regions closer to the national average in the resources they receive for essential services. The proposal emphasizes maintaining core services, especially health, education, and equality, and it is expected to be reflected in the General State Budget. The approach is also referenced within the investment agreement between PSOE and Sumar.
Mazón noted that the informal summit confirmed harmony on funding among the four regional presidents. He stated that the four communities face underfunding, with Comunitat Valenciana likely the most affected. He described the equalization fund as indispensable, arguing that social services must continue to be funded while the broader reform is negotiated. He stressed a clear demand for this mechanism.
A recent study by Fedea supports the urgency of activating the fund as a temporary measure while reforms are discussed. It indicates that the four autonomous communities receive less than the provincial average for basic services. According to the researchers led by Ángel de la Fuente, the state may need to contribute roughly 3.3 billion euros more for these regions to operate on equal terms. Fedea proposes consolidating these funds once a new model is agreed upon.
Valencian Community would receive 1.148 billion, Andalusia 1.409 billion, Murcia 405 million, and Castile-La Mancha 315 million. The Generalitat, however, does not acknowledge these figures and has recently revived its financing experts’ commission to update demands. While the final numbers are still being prepared, Consell sources suggest results will be announced soon. The Treasury lead, Ruth Merino, indicated that the requested amount could reach around 1.5 billion.
Sources in the ministry point out that the gap between the Fedea study and the Consell’s estimate arises from the report not bringing the four regions up to the average, instead placing them at about 97 percent of the average. This nuance means the Generalitat may push for a higher allocation than what the agency estimates.
Page, the sole socialist in the group, leaned on the same report to advocate for an equalization fund to support the four regions. He argued that before any systemic reforms are enacted, compensation for past underfunding should be considered by reducing some autonomous obligations. The Consell is less explicit about pardons but maintains that the Valencian Community would be a priority if any compensatory measures were introduced.
According to El Mundo, a source within La Mancha indicated there was broad agreement with the PP leaders from Murcia, Andalusia, and La Mancha to form a united front for additional state funds and to coordinate their demands. Some talk of a coordinated effort has even sparked mentions of a possible conspiracy from the Generalitat Presidency.
Regional Alliances
Insiders close to Mazón describe a brief, informal meeting with Juanma Moreno, Fernando López Miras, and Emiliano García-Page, timed to fit the Fitur schedule. The goal was to outline a shared interim compensation strategy and to keep channels open among the four governments for ongoing discussions about funding.
The plan includes establishing a permanent working space and continuous dialogue between Treasury advisers and economic teams. While dates for upcoming summits on funding have not been set, the Consell chairman promised that these talks would be clarified soon, in a setting that remains flexible yet formal enough to yield concrete steps.
Initially, Mazón favored a joint event with the two main opposition parties in Murcia and Andalusia and the socialist party in La Mancha. The Presidency now signals that meetings could be restructured into bilateral discussions that advance practical outcomes.