Snap elections have been officially called in Aragón, set for February 8. The decision was made by regional president Jorge Azcón after talks with Vox over the approval of the budget reached a complete impasse. A meeting between Azcón and Vox representative Alejandro Nolasco failed to yield any results, and the regional authorities acknowledged that further attempts to negotiate would be futile.
Aragón has become the fourth region in the last six months where the governing Partido Popular (PP) has been forced to call early elections. In most cases, the trigger has been Vox’s refusal to support the proposed budgets. Following Extremadura, where elections are scheduled for December, and Castilla y León, where voting will take place in March, Aragón now joins the list of regions where political crises could not be resolved through negotiations.
Disagreements with Vox
Unlike in the Comunidad Valenciana, where PP and Vox recently reached an agreement, in Aragón the Partido Popular refused to make the concessions demanded by Vox. These included a full rejection of the European Green Deal, a ban on accepting underage migrants, and an end to funding for organizations assisting foreigners. While these terms were accepted in Valencia, they were deemed unacceptable in Aragón.
Regional Finance Minister Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, after the first meeting with Vox, stated that some of Abascal’s party proposals cannot be implemented in Aragón. The regional authorities also ruled out the possibility of reaching a similar agreement to that in Valencia, despite pressure from Vox.
Refusal to Support PSOE
Attempts by the Socialists (PSOE) to offer their support for the budget also failed. The People’s Party said it does not trust the opposition’s proposals and is not prepared to discuss joint budget approval. PSOE candidate and current government minister Pilar Alegría, after meeting with Ascon, accused him of calling elections out of personal interest and an inability to govern the region.
Unlike Andalucía, where regional leader Juanma Moreno Bonilla holds an absolute majority and elections follow the regular schedule, in Aragón and other regions, the PP has been forced into early elections due to Vox’s blockade of the budget.
Escalation of the Political Crisis
The situation in Aragón reflects a broader political crisis that has engulfed several autonomous communities governed by the People’s Party. Over the past six months, multiple regions have faced a scenario where a failure to reach agreements with Vox on key budget issues has made early elections necessary. This creates further uncertainty for residents and businesses, and increases tensions among political forces.
In Aragón, as in other regions where the PP does not have an absolute majority, Vox’s support proved crucial for approving the budget. However, disagreements over key issues such as migration policy and attitudes toward European initiatives made compromise impossible. As a result, the region is among those where political instability is forcing the authorities to seek a new mandate from voters.
