The king’s speech set off immediate reactions from Valencian political groups, creating blocs that did not always align with the region’s usual arrangements in the Cortes. While PPCV and PSPV welcomed the monarch’s address, which carried the most substantive political content since 2017, their natural allies, Vox and Compromís, offered notably cooler responses. Notably, Vox did not issue an official statement from party representatives in the Consell or the regional parliament.
As in national politics, Valencian voters and the socialist camp interpreted the king’s words through their established perspectives. Felipe VI defended the Constitution with a strong emphasis on unity while recognizing the country’s diversity. Consequently, while PPCV’s reaction yesterday emphasized the monarch’s warning that democracy cannot exist outside the Constitution and connected this warning to the government’s agreements with the independence movement, particularly the amnesty law, PSPV maintained that portion of the warning. The king urged respect for the region’s variety within the state.
Generalitat president Carlos Mazón echoed the sentiments of many Valencians in his Sunday night remarks, saying the king was “flattered” and “right” to stress the importance of the Charter. He praised the monarch’s resolve, adding that outside the Constitution, strengths fade and weaknesses prevail.
The Consell president argued that it is essential to preserve the “spirit of 78,” interpreting it today as the greatest challenge for social progress, a point aligned with Felipe VI’s message. He noted that there can be no democracy or coexistence outside the Constitution, stressing that Spain’s young democratic regime remains solid but must be defended against those who seek to dismantle it. Democrats must join hands to protect what ancestors fought for decades ago.
Turning to the parliamentary groups, PPCV Ombudsman Miguel Barrachina echoed his leader’s reading and highlighted Chapter VI. He stressed that Felipe’s defense of democracy requires respect for the separation of powers and equality among Spaniards, describing the king’s stance as a clear and firm message. Celebrating the monarch’s ability to voice the sentiments of the vast majority of Valencians about Spain’s unity, the popular spokesperson said unity is a strength and it would be a serious mistake to support those who aim to divide, while reaffirming respect for the separation of powers.
The PSPV counterpart, José Muñoz, also praised the king’s defense of the Constitution but for different reasons. According to the socialist ombud, Felipe VI’s speech calls for preserving coexistence in a nation rich with diverse cultures, languages, and institutions. Muñoz viewed these words as a direct reference to defending the autonomous state, which he believed faced threat from the far right entering autonomous governments.
Criticism and silence
As always, Compromís offered the sharpest critique. Its ombudsman in the Cortes, Joan Baldoví, assessed that Felipe VI’s words were too detached from people’s daily lives and pressing problems, including housing, rising prices, and job insecurity.
Vox stayed notably quiet. None of the party’s members in the Consell or their new ombudsman in the Cortes spoke. In response to questions from this newspaper, Vox pointed to a text message posted on the party’s national social media account, where only a portion of the discussion was highlighted.
Its deputy in the Valencian Congress, Carlos Flores, went further and described Felipe’s speech as flawless, uncontroversial, and timely. He argued that the king was addressing those who seek to bypass the constitutional framework, undermine the separation of powers, and those who are ashamed to be Spanish. (Source: regional political coverage, contemporaneous reports)