Les Corts Valencianes have approved a €33.3 billion budget that introduces Vox’s national priority principle. The PP agreed to the measure, sparking accusations of discrimination and a looming constitutional challenge.
For the first time in Spain, a regional budget now includes the “national priority” principle, following a tense vote in Les Corts Valencianes. The €33.3 billion spending plan for 2026, led by the PP government of Juanfran Pérez Llorca, was passed after the Partido Popular accepted Vox’s demand to explicitly prioritize long-term residents of the Valencian Community in access to social aid and housing programs.
The measure, which echoes language popularized by French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen in the 1980s, marks a significant shift in Spanish regional policy. Until now, similar provisions had only appeared in coalition agreements between PP and Vox in regions like Extremadura, Aragón, Castilla y León, and Andalucía, but never in a legally binding budget law.
The budget was approved with 53 votes from PP (40) and Vox (13), overcoming opposition from PSPV-PSOE (31) and Compromís (15). This is the third budget passed by the current Consell, but the first under Pérez Llorca, who took office in December after Carlos Mazón’s resignation.
Key sections of the budget now require that public resources for rural housing, social aid, and inclusion income be allocated with “national priority” in mind. The text specifies that priority will be given to applicants with a “real, lasting, and verifiable” connection to the Valencian Community, based on historical registration, family ties, and employment history. The principle is repeatedly described as being “in accordance with current law.”
PP officials have downplayed the significance of the term, arguing that similar residency requirements already exist in some left-leaning municipalities. However, opposition parties have sharply criticized the move. The PSPV-PSOE’s general secretary and Science Minister, Diana Morant, announced that the national government will challenge the budget in the Constitutional Court, arguing that the Spanish Constitution does not allow discrimination to be enshrined in law.
The debate over the new rule comes amid broader tensions over regional governance and the influence of Vox on PP policy. The next key vote is scheduled for July 31, when Les Corts will decide on the so-called “accompanying law,” which could further entrench the national priority principle across more areas of regional policy.
This development follows a series of high-profile legal and political disputes in Valencia. For example, a recent court decision overturned the PP-led freeze on school investment projects, allowing municipalities to resume delayed upgrades—a move that highlighted the ongoing friction between regional authorities and the judiciary. More details on that case can be found in this report on the court’s intervention in Valencian education funding.
Spain’s autonomous communities have significant control over social policy, but the introduction of explicit national priority language in a budget law is unprecedented. The outcome of the looming constitutional challenge could set a legal precedent for other regions considering similar measures. As the debate intensifies, the practical impact on residents seeking public aid or housing remains to be seen, with critics warning of potential discrimination and supporters insisting on the need to protect local ties.
