Vox has secured a prominent role in Andalusia’s regional government through a coalition agreement with the Partido Popular (PP), taking charge of tourism, justice, deregulation, and local administration. The deal gives the party its first formal place in the regional executive, with a second vice-presidency and a combined ministry led by Manuel Gavira. It positions Vox for greater visibility ahead of the 2027 municipal elections.
The agreement follows the regional election held on 17 May 2026. Juan Manuel Moreno’s PP won 53 seats, two short of the 55-seat threshold for an absolute majority, on 41.5% of the vote. Vox took 15 seats with almost 14%, while the PSOE won 28, Adelante Andalucía eight, and Por Andalucía five. The result reversed the PP’s outright majority from 2022, when it won 58 seats, making a governing arrangement with Vox necessary. Vox recorded its weakest result among the four recent regional elections, but its parliamentary position gave it use in negotiations.
Gavira, the Vox politician appointed second vice-president of the Junta de Andalucía, will lead the combined Ministry of Tourism, Deregulation, Justice and Local Administration. Including deregulation in the ministry’s formal title makes administrative simplification an executive responsibility alongside tourism policy, court administration, and relations with municipalities. The structure echoes an earlier arrangement in which Ciudadanos held a broad portfolio under Juan Marín. Unlike Ciudadanos, which managed four additional ministries, Vox will hold this single, high-profile post. Together, the PP and Vox command 68 seats in the 109-member parliament, giving the coalition a working majority.
The new government’s structure differs from other regional deals. PP leaders in Extremadura, Aragón, and Castilla y León retained control over agriculture, social services, and family affairs, while Moreno has handed justice and local administration to Vox. The transfer could give the party a platform to strengthen its presence across Andalusia’s 785 municipalities ahead of the 2027 local elections.
Opinions among Andalusian administration insiders are divided. Some see the Vox-led ministry as largely technical, with limited public exposure; others believe it could help the party build connections with the justice sector and local governments. The ministry’s combined remit covers a major economic sector alongside institutional responsibilities affecting courts, municipalities, and administrative rules. Its practical reach will depend on how responsibilities are allocated and carried out.
The justice and local administration ministry also manages juvenile justice, including programs for minors under judicial measures. Vox has previously linked immigrant minors to crime; Gavira’s appointment puts the party in charge of responsibilities that include those programs. The ministry’s early justice agenda includes staffing measures: on 22 October, Gavira announced a reinforcement of 140 people in Andalusian courts, particularly in coastal areas, alongside the initial creation of more than 160 posts. He linked the measures to reducing delays and court workloads, saying that “more public employees are needed.”
Tourism, now under Vox’s control, is a major economic and employment base for Andalusia. From July to September 2026, hotels recorded 21 million overnight stays and received 6.6 million travelers, both 2.1% above the same period in 2025. Occupancy reached 67.91%, up 1.4 percentage points, with available capacity nearing 325,000 places. From January through September, hotels recorded 47.4 million overnight stays and 16.3 million travelers; hotel employment exceeded 48,000 workers, up 10.7% year on year. In 2025, the region attracted nearly 38 million tourists, including local travelers. Tourism generated more than €30 billion, peaked at over 530,000 jobs in summer, and contributed 13% to regional GDP. Vox also holds tourism portfolios in Aragón and Castilla y León, but Andalusia’s sector is larger.
The party’s program calls for expanding tourism without penalizing visitors or the industry, amid debate over the sector’s social and economic effects. The ministry has traditionally been viewed as a showcase portfolio and has previously been held by junior coalition partners, including the Partido Andalucista, Izquierda Unida, and Ciudadanos. The sector faces resident complaints and rising housing costs linked to short-term rentals. The Andalusian Association of Tourist Apartments has welcomed the new arrangement and said it is ready for constructive dialogue with Gavira’s department.
The PSOE opposition argues that the government’s design gives Vox visibility through tourism while limiting its management scope to less contentious areas, alongside ideological influence through deregulation. Local administration also gives Gavira opportunities to engage with municipalities across the region. Vox’s broader regional-government agenda has been associated with spending restraint and “priority national” policies.
The coalition’s first full fiscal cycle will be shaped by the proposed 2027 Andalusian budget. Moreno announced a total of €54.716 billion, approximately 6% above the 2026 budget, calling it the first budget of the PP and Vox government. The draft was scheduled for consideration by the regional government’s Council of Government in late October. Vox’s reported commitment to support PP motions is part of the parliamentary arrangement underpinning the budget.
Early post-election polling suggests the PP remains near its election result, while Vox could increase its representation. A Fundación CENTRA estimate put the PP at roughly 52 to 53 seats and Vox at 16 to 20; another report estimated Vox’s vote at 16.1%, up 2.3 percentage points, with the PP near 41.5%. These are polling estimates, not parliamentary seats, but they suggest Vox may retain or increase its bargaining weight while the PP remains short of an outright majority.
Vox now holds a single but strategically impressive ministry in Andalusia. The coming months will show whether the party can turn its executive role into broader electoral gains as the region approaches the next municipal elections. Andalusia is Spain’s most populous region and a major driver of its tourism industry, making the coalition’s policy choices consequential both within the region and in wider debates over regional power-sharing.
