In Extremadura, the political scene has once again become a focal point following the recent elections. María Guardiola, the acting regional president, and Vox candidate Óscar Fernández spoke by phone for the first time two days after the Partido Popular (PP) secured victory at the polls. However, despite this formality, substantive talks were postponed until after the Christmas holidays. Behind the scenes, tensions are mounting: the PP failed to secure an absolute majority, making it impossible to form a government without Vox support.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo made his position clear. In an interview, he stressed that in his view, 60% of the region’s residents support cooperation between the PP and Vox. According to him, the socialists have left the political stage, and voters have sent a clear message: they expect stable agreements between the two right-wing parties. Feijóo also pointed out that similar alliances are already the norm in other autonomous communities where the PP and Vox shared power in 2023.
At the same time, Vox’s success in the recent Extremadura elections was striking: the party doubled its number of deputies, and its vote share nearly doubled. This has reinforced the PP’s conviction that cooperation with the far-right is no longer a concern for voters. Moreover, party insiders believe Vox’s withdrawal from coalition governments in the summer of 2024 played into their hands, freeing them from responsibility for controversial decisions.
Negotiations on hold
Despite public statements, there has been no real progress in negotiations between the PP and Vox so far. Vox representatives confirm that after the initial phone conversation, both sides agreed to resume discussions only after the holidays. The key date is January 20, when the new Mesa de la Asamblea (the governing body of the regional parliament) will be formed. That marks the start of the countdown for nominating a candidate for president and holding a session to approve the new government.
If an absolute majority is not achieved in the first round of voting, a second vote will take place 48 hours later, where a simple majority will suffice. Should this attempt also fail, the parties will have two months to reach a new agreement. If no compromise is found, the region will face new elections. This entire procedure only fuels speculation about how events will unfold after the holidays.
Internal tensions
Tensions remain within both parties. Vox, buoyed by the election results, may demand the position of parliamentary president—a post previously held by a Socialist representative. This move would serve as a litmus test for the true state of relations between PP and Vox. However, past conflicts between Guardiola and Vox leader Santiago Abascal could complicate the talks.
On the table in Guardiola’s team still lies an impressive two-hundred-point document presented by Vox for the budget talks. It was the failure to reach agreement on these measures that previously led to early elections—Guardiola wanted more freedom in negotiations with the far-right. But the outcome was ambiguous: the PP only slightly increased its representation, while Vox became even stronger.
Rhetoric and Expectations
In her New Year’s address, Guardiola did not directly mention the elections, but made it clear she is counting on constructive dialogue. She emphasized that Extremadura needs high-level politics, not mutual accusations and conflicts. According to her, only consensus and the ability to find common ground can bring real change to the region.
At the same time, Feijóo continues to insist that parties must take responsibility for their promises and turn them into real programs. He remarks, with irony, that it is odd to ask voters for support without wanting the burden of power. In his view, if no one is willing to compromise, the entire democratic system is at risk.
Alliance Prospects
For now, both sides have adopted a wait-and-see approach, but there is less and less time to decide. The composition of the new parliamentary leadership will be the first sign of either potential rapprochement or, on the contrary, deepening divisions. In any case, the political intrigue in Extremadura is only gaining momentum, and the outcome of negotiations between the PP and Vox could prove decisive not just for the region, but for the entire country.
