Juan Manuel Moreno will introduce three vice presidencies in his new Andalusian government. Vox secures a key post, prompting changes in the executive's structure. Internal balances and coalition tensions shape the new cabinet.
The Junta de Andalucía is set for a significant reshuffle as President Juan Manuel Moreno (PP) prepares to announce a new coalition government featuring three vice presidencies. This move, confirmed by sources in San Telmo, marks a departure from Moreno’s previous reluctance to create multiple high-ranking posts, a strategy now driven by the formal entry of Vox into the regional executive. The far-right party’s parliamentary spokesperson, Manuel Gavira, will take charge of the Tourism, Deregulation, Justice, and Local Administration portfolio, holding vice-presidential rank.
Moreno’s decision to expand the vice-presidential structure is directly linked to the need to balance Vox’s presence in the cabinet. The arrangement ensures that Gavira will not assume the role of acting president under any circumstances, a point the government has emphasized to avoid signaling a clear line of succession. This approach echoes the internal balancing acts seen during Manuel Chaves’s long tenure, as Moreno seeks to maintain control over succession debates and internal party dynamics.
Potential candidates for the two additional vice presidencies include Antonio Sanz, currently overseeing Health, Presidency, and Emergencies, and Carolina España, the government’s spokesperson and head of Economy and Finance. Both are considered trusted figures within the PP, with Sanz described by Moreno as exceptionally reliable and hardworking. However, final appointments remain closely guarded, consistent with Moreno’s reputation for secrecy in personnel decisions.
Vox’s entry into the government has sparked debate over the distribution of power and the future direction of the Junta. Gavira has downplayed suggestions that the new structure is designed to counterbalance Vox, questioning whether further checks are necessary given the party’s limited share of the executive. Negotiations between Vox and the PP continue over appointments to influential bodies such as the RTVA board, the Consultative Council, the Audit Chamber, and the Ombudsman’s office—positions Vox once advocated abolishing after its initial parliamentary breakthrough in 2018.
Other key posts, including leadership roles at Canal Sur and within the Junta’s communications apparatus, are also under discussion. Both parties have agreed to maintain discretion regarding the details of these talks. Meanwhile, the opposition is pressing for the new legislature to begin work and has criticized the 150-point coalition agreement, particularly a provision to create a service for verifying residency and social benefits, which some compare to controversial immigration enforcement agencies abroad.
The coalition deal with Vox stands in contrast to the moderate image Moreno has cultivated over more than seven years in office. Nevertheless, PP officials frame the changes as part of political normality, though it remains unclear how many of the agreed measures will be fully implemented. The first session of the new Andalusian parliament is scheduled for July 23, with Vox expected to secure the first vice presidency of the parliamentary bureau and participate in key committee assignments.
In the previous legislature, the appointment of a new Ombudsman stalled after Vox rejected the PP’s nominee, citing the candidate’s ties to the Red Cross, an organization active in migrant support. The coalition agreement now includes a pledge to eliminate subsidies for NGOs that, in Vox’s view, facilitate illegal immigration. Such measures require a three-fifths majority in the 109-seat chamber, highlighting the ongoing need for negotiation and compromise within the coalition.
This development in Andalusia reflects broader trends in Spanish regional politics, where coalition dynamics and the integration of new political forces continue to reshape traditional power structures. Similar shifts have been observed in other regions, as highlighted in recent coverage of internal party maneuvering in Valencia, where leadership contests and coalition talks have also intensified. For more on how party negotiations are influencing regional governments, see this analysis of PP tensions in Valencia: leadership challenges within the PP in Valencia.
Andalusia’s new government structure, with its expanded vice presidencies and the formal inclusion of Vox, signals a period of adjustment for the region’s political landscape. The coming months will test the coalition’s ability to manage internal balances, deliver on its policy agenda, and respond to scrutiny from both opposition parties and the public.
