Vox tightens access to housing and benefits for foreigners in new Spain deal

In Spain, Vox continues to shape regional governing agreements by pushing key elements of its political agenda. On Wednesday, June 3, the far-right party reached a deal with the People's Party (PP) to form a new regional government in the autonomous community of Castile and León.

As in previous agreements signed in Extremadura and Aragon, Vox secured the inclusion of a «national priority» policy in the governing program. In Castile and León, however, the party has gone a step further, assuming responsibility for immigration-related matters within the regional administration for the first time.

The «national priority» measure is designed in particular to restrict access to social housing, certain public benefits and various services for individuals unable to demonstrate what is considered a genuine, lasting and verifiable connection to the region. In Extremadura, for example, applicants must have resided in the region for at least ten years to purchase public housing and five years to rent it.

The agreement drew a strong reaction from Spain’s central government. Speaking on behalf of Pedro Sánchez’s administration, Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service Óscar López (PSOE) denounced it as a «racist and disgraceful agreement».

Meanwhile, Andalusia, home to a large Moroccan community, could be the next region affected by a similar arrangement. Following the May 17 elections, the PP fell short of an absolute majority. To secure a third term in office, regional president Juanma Moreno may need to negotiate with Vox, which has made «national priority» one of its central demands.