The PSOE, just after completing the count of 28-M, clung to an extrapolation of results to keep up the discourse that the PP would not be able to win the general elections on 23-J. They argued that their loss of votes -400,000 compared to 2019- was not an insurmountable obstacle to the comeback. They pointed out that in many municipalities the majority was left for only one councilor and that in some autonomies they surpassed the PP -Extremadura or the Canary Islands- or increased their harvest -in the Valencian Community- although insufficient to stand up to the rush of the right-wing bloc. That desire, to cover the bleeding of 28-M, was nevertheless fulfilled on 23-J. What the socialists cannot ignore is that their loss of regional power was enormous. And that hole is gigantic in power -as opposed to Pedro Sánchez if he is invested- and it is also quantifiable: in money -political capacity- and seats -organic support of the parties-.
A review of the turnaround that occurred in the Communities shows a figure of 77,700 million euros that would now be managed by the popular and more than 2,000 positions among senior positions, trusted personnel and possible pending relief.. A booty already shared with Vox, but at least substantially, in three communities, after the signing of the agreement in Aragon this Friday.
They have changed their political sign La Rioja, in which the popular ones obtained an absolute majority; Extremadura, in which the PSOE won in votes but tied in seats with the PP, which was saved from electoral repetition after ceding to Vox; Cantabria, where the PP won and benefited from an abstention from the PRC; Canary Islands, where the PP closed an agreement to govern with the Canary Islands Coalition despite having won the PSOE; Aragón, where the PP won widely; Valencian Community, in which the popular won without discussion and have already agreed to the government with Vox and the Balearic Islands, where the PP-Vox tandem also exceeds the absolute majority, although those of Santiago Abascal have not managed to force their entry into the Government.
In all these territories, power is transferred from the PSOE to the PP, moving with it the Budget and government organization charts. The popular ones are made in this way with a preponderant presence in a good part of the territory with the capacity to manage and distribute jobs and salaries. A faculty that comes to add to the one that they already have in the Community of Madrid, where they have won with a large absolute majority; in Andalusia and Galicia, where elections were not held in 2023 but in which they have had full power since the last elections; and in Castilla y León and the Region of Murcia, in the first one already ruling in alliance with Vox and, in the second, repeating victory and pending peace with Vox.
The Valencian Community, the main objective of the two big parties in the 28-M elections, is the one that has transferred the most power to the PP. More than 30,000 million budget and a thousand long positions appointed by the Socialists divided between the presidency, two vice-presidencies and nine ministries, all of them with a multitude of positions distributed in general directorates and sub-directors, secretariats, services, consultancies, institutes, entities and organizations public. The organization chart with Mazón was not closed and although he promised to reduce it, the previous dimension is juicy.
BALEARIC ISLANDS, SECOND HIGHEST
In the Balearic Islands, the popular inherited the second highest budget, with 15,226 million. The number of charges at all levels that could be relieved amounted to more than 200. However, the list of positions included in its organization chart was lower than that of Aragon, where uncertainty remained until last Thursday night.. The community governed until 28-M by Javier Lambán will hand over to PP-Vox the management of a budget of 8,250 million and almost 300 positions to relieve.
The second autonomy with the highest budget is that of the Canary Islands Community, with 11,059 million in the current year. However, despite this figure, it is one of the most austere in terms of occupied positions: CC and PP had to share 113 from the start.
Extremadura, for its part, has 7,776 million and 237 seats that until now were occupied by the Executive of Guillermo Fernández Vara. Cantabria transferred a budget of 3,507 million and 133 positions, while the Executive of La Rioja, with the most modest budget -1,824 million-, included 120 jobs.
However, and despite this legacy, the new popular executives will have to accommodate themselves in the remainder of the year to the forecasts of expenses and income designed by the respective previous socialist governments.. As of 2024 that will change and it will be the PP that manages the communities in accordance with its general principle that is committed to low taxes, the incentive to private initiative and the promotion of business activity. The main subject that they will have to face is to demonstrate that with this formula there is no deterioration of public services.
And in the field of the dimension of the political apparatus, it remains to be seen if the new autonomous governments in the hands of the popular ones follow the maxim of austerity defended by Alberto Núñez Feijóo for the central Executive. The PP leader accused Sánchez of designing an elephantine government thus triggering political spending and promised, if he won the elections on 23-J, to suppress and group ministries, without exceeding fortnight.