Following an agreement in the Valencian Community between the People’s Party and Vox, the discourse around sexist violence was framed as domestic violence, and Llanos Massó, a representative from the far-right faction, was named president of the Cortes. Supporters of Catholics and anti-abortionists aligned with Santiago Abascal are attempting to reassert their public profile. Vox representatives, including Massó, withdrew from the main banner during a three-minute moment of silence observed for a woman who was killed in Antella, a town in the region, on Sunday. The Cortes president described the moment of silence in front of Palau dels Borja as a gesture to condemn the murder of a woman, but did not explicitly acknowledge the gender-based violence that caused the tragedy. The events drew sharp criticism from the opposition left, composed of PSPV and Compromís.
Mazón will step down as president of the City Council on Wednesday the 12th, and will be sworn in by the Cortes on the 13th.
Representatives from all parliamentary groups, along with Cortes staff, observed a three-minute silence with a banner reading “Les Corts Valencianes against sexist violence.” Vox members stood apart on the side, distant from the banner. On this occasion they assumed the role of Speaker of the House for the first time, repeating a stance they have taken whenever a sexist crime has occurred in the current autonomous parliament. The trustee, Ana Vega from Alicante, justified the action by saying that after four years of following the same approach, the problem could be considered overcome.
Opposition
Aitana Mas, vice president of the Generalitat and deputy spokesperson for Compromís, called it “incomprehensible” that the position presented was institutional and non-political, representing the entire institution and the second most important role in the Valencian Community. She argued that the stance remained distant from the social majority. The PSPV also submitted a letter requesting a response. Massó stated she supported the anti-violence agreement “without nuance” and noted that calls to stand in respect were issued to condemn sexist violence. Rebeca Torró, a trustee, criticized the decision to hold a protest without explicitly labeling the Antella murder as a gender-violence case. Criticism came from both sides: the central government through Isabel Rodríguez, the spokesperson and Minister for Regional Policy, condemned Vox MPs’ position. “They set us back twenty years. The Spanish community, far above PP and Vox, knows they are harming us because we are women,” she remarked.
The PP Ombudsman, Miguel Barrachina, believed the symbolism of being behind or away from the Vox banner was less important than the fact that a woman had been murdered and that sexist violence had grown in the Valencian Community. He added that beyond symbolism, the presence of what he called “rapists in the street” was what troubled the party.
The PP nominee, Carlos Mazón, is set to assume full office as head of the Generalitat at 10:00 this Thursday, with the inauguration planned for Monday the 17th. The Cortes Board of Trustees, for the first time since the May 28 election, moved the calendar to facilitate the government transition, completing the mandate in one day.
Parliamentary groups also stated that a plenary session would be held at the end of the month to appoint senators representing the Valencian Community. Of the six senators the Regional Parliament may appoint, three will be from the PP, two from PSPV-PSOE and one from Compromís. Ximo Puig, the acting chairman of the Generalitat, has already announced his intention to become one of the Socialist MPs.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved at its first meeting yesterday and this Tuesday adopted the framework for the fourteen parliamentary committees that will sit in the new legislature, ensuring representation from all Cortes factions. Following the exit of Ciudadanos and Unides Podem, the cycle reduced from six to four. PP will chair eight committees, Vox three, while the left-leaning PSPV will head three and Compromís one.
Notes: This account reflects parliamentary proceedings and public responses as reported by multiple sources within the Valencian political landscape. Attribution follows standard parliamentary reporting practices and reflects statements made by officials and party representatives.