The keys to the PP-Vox pact in Aragon: reform of the trans law and end to democratic memory

Jorge Azcón (PP) will be the new president of Aragon after closing a government agreement with Vox. The pact expressly includes several of the claims expressed by both parties for political change in the region, after eight years in office of Javier Lambán (PSOE). Among other issues, emphasis is placed on the comprehensive reform of the trans law, the immediate suppression of the Autonomous Democratic Memory Law and the position of the ultra-conservative formation is qualified with the transfer of the Ebro, which is no longer a requirement.

The programmatic document for the constitution of a coalition Executive, signed this Friday, consists of 80 points with eight strategic areas. Another of the details of this negotiation delves into several of the ideological battles that Vox is pursuing and that the Azcón PP has accepted: the suppression of the General Directorate for Language Policy and the commissioners of the 2030 Agenda, Childhood and Depopulation.

Another of the agreements has been in tax matters, where the harmony has been maximum. In this regard, personal income tax will be lowered by half a point for Aragonese who declare up to 50,000 euros, as well as the 99% bonus on wealth tax up to 700,000 euros..

Sexist violence is not touched

The most thorny issue for PP and Vox, both during the electoral campaign and in the negotiation, is the treatment of sexist violence. This aspect has been more than saved by Azcón, and even with a political claim in the government agreement. Thus, in the signed document, it is stated that the protection of women will be ensured and the fight against “macho violence” is expressly cited with funds for the protection and guarantee of all their rights.. In this sense, the elimination of the Aragonese Women's Institute is not included in any case.

🔵🟢🤝 We signed a government agreement between @pparagon and @aragonvox. An agreement that is the faithful reflection of the majority of change that the Aragonese voted for and that aims to improve the lives of the Aragonese and give Aragon the stable and strong government it needs. pic.twitter.com/5OLyahBQ4M

– PP of Aragon (@pparagon) August 4, 2023

The letter contains, in turn, a section on the illegal occupation of housing and where it is detailed that the Executive of Jorge Azcón will demand that the Government of Spain make possible “the express eviction in 24 hours” of the occupied houses. These commitments signed between PP and Vox, which have been signed and acquired by their parliamentary spokespersons, Ana Alós for the popular and Alejandro Nolasco for the right-wing formation, also includes a distribution of positions in the Aragonese Government. Azcón was not present in the photo signed by the coalition.

Vox will obtain two councils, and one of them will have the rank of first vice presidency, which will be held by Nolasco. The rest of the ministries and their protagonists is a well-kept secret by both teams. The only clue, according to sources from the Aragonese PP, is that the future Executive will have “moderate” profiles from Vox. They do not want any leader who generates controversy or noise in the autonomous government. at least on paper.

68 days until reaching an agreement

Jorge Azcón has had to change his speech as political circumstances changed since May 28, more than two months ago. Once the governability of Spain was cleared after 23-J and the position of weakness of the PP of Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the future Aragonese president sought by all means to unblock the negotiation and renounce his initial claim to govern alone. A situation that has been admitted by Vox, by renouncing part of the requirements that they had defined for weeks, such as the management of three regional councils. Santiago Abascal's party, however, already holds the presidency of the Cortes de Aragón, with the strident Marta Fernández in office.

Among other possible movements in the Executive is the entry of the Aragonese Party (PAR), the formation that has been governing with Javier Lambán these last four years in a quadripartite and whose essence is deeply Aragonese and autonomist, against the sentiment of Vox, to despite being another party with a conservative soul. This future is none other than the need for economic survival of the PAR after only achieving a single regional deputy.

VOX has fulfilled its electoral promise and has asserted the votes of the Aragonese.

Freedom, family, aid to the countryside, security and tax cuts. Main blocks of an agreement with which a “change of direction” begins in #Aragónhttps://t.co/4Qu1fDkROF https://t.co/YlIschxKK6

— VOX Parliamentary Group in the Parliament of Aragon (@aragonvox) August 4, 2023

“This is the agreement” that includes that “the Governing Council will be made up of PP and Vox,” declared the popular spokesperson Ana Alós. “From there, we continue working on parliamentary agreements,” he added.. For the moment, apart from the unanimous rejection of this agreement by the political left in the Aragonese Parliament, the rejection of Teruel Existe and Tomás Guitarte to the future investiture of Azcón has been loud, despite being partners in the Teruel Provincial Council. The reason is none other than the presence of Vox, whom the formation of emptied Spain has already said it would never support..

In the act of signing the Government agreement, one of the architects of the future Government of Aragon was present, the former Secretary of State for Public Administrations with the PP of Mariano Rajoy and warper of article 155 in Catalonia, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro. Both he and other popular leaders have been preparing the future Azcón team and its main lines in recent weeks, from the most relevant positions to the investee companies or intermediate positions.