Carlos Mazón, former president of the government of the Valencian Community (Generalitat Valenciana), has now been officially appointed chairman of the rules committee in the regional parliament — Les Corts Valencianes. This position will bring him an additional monthly income of 634 euros. Notably, the committee meets extremely rarely, as its main function is to adjust the parliament’s regulations, which typically remain unchanged for years.
The last time the committee members met was back in October 2020. Since then, there has been no need to amend the parliament’s regulations, so the committee has been largely inactive. Nevertheless, the position of chairman comes with a fixed bonus on top of a deputy’s basic salary.
Deputy status
After stepping down as head of government last November, Mazón retained his seat as a regional parliament deputy. This decision allowed him to remain under the jurisdiction of the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunidad Valenciana, rather than the ordinary lower courts. This status provides him with certain legal protections, especially in the event of legal proceedings.
A judge from the town of Catarroja, who is leading an investigation into the aftermath of severe flooding (dana), has summoned Mazón three times to testify voluntarily. However, due to his parliamentary immunity, she cannot officially charge him and can only petition the higher court.
Appointment and income
The parliamentary faction of the Partido Popular (PP) officially notified the inclusion of Mazón in the regulations committee last week. At the same time, another PP deputy, Eduardo Dolón, was withdrawn from the committee. This occurred on the same day that the Corts debated the appointment of the new head of government — Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca, who was elected with the majority support of PP and Vox.
The basic salary for a deputy in the regional parliament is €35,861 per year. For chairing a committee, Mazón will receive an additional almost €8,880 annually, which equals €634 per month. In addition, he is entitled to a full-time supplement of €5,554 per year, as well as compensation for travel expenses, which may reach up to €11,500 depending on the distance between the deputy’s residence and the parliament. In Mazón’s case, who lives in Alicante, this amount is the maximum, since the distance exceeds 100 kilometers.
Comparison with previous position
As a result, Mazón’s total annual income as a deputy will be around €61,785. By comparison, while serving as president of the Valencian Community government, his annual salary was €80,173, paid over twelve months without additional bonuses.
In the Valencian parliament, the majority of the 99 deputies receive various bonuses and allowances for participating in the work of committees, governing bodies, and parliamentary groups. The Corts operate with 12 legislative committees, 7 non-legislative committees, one standing committee, and two temporary committees, including the commission investigating the causes of the flood.
Opposition response
Mazón’s appointment drew sharp criticism from the opposition. Socialist representative José Muñoz (José Muñoz) publicly condemned the decision, stating that the Partido Popular is encouraging incompetence by giving Mazón a new post and an additional income. In a message on the social network X (formerly Twitter), he emphasized that he considers such an appointment a sign of shamelessness among political opponents.
