PP and Vox invest in Pérez Llorca as the new president of the Generalitat

ValenciaComplete agreement. The People's Party (PP) and Vox have invested Juanfran Pérez Llorca as president of the Valencian Generalitat in a plenary session where the conservative party adopted almost all of the far-right party's positions. The agreement was already foreshadowed in the morning when the leader of the far-right party, Santiago Abascal, indicated in a statement to the media that he liked the PP candidate's speech. "I want to read the speech carefully," he said, trying to downplay the Vox politician's involvement minutes before the party's executive committee leaked its vote in favor, emphasizing that the PP had incorporated "100%" of its demands. The new head of the Valencian government's speech began without the uncomfortable gaze of Carlos Mazón, who was only present for the vote and wished his successor "luck and success." "I come without any firm agreement with any party," Pérez Llorca asserted at the start of a session in which he delivered a speech full of concessions to Vox, as his partners have acknowledged. As expected, the Finestrat politician's speech included a reference to the families of the victims of the DANA storm: "If I am elected, my first words as president will be to apologize on behalf of the Generalitat," Pérez Llorca declared, under the watchful eyes of the association leaders in the chamber, minutes after having demonstrated outside the Valencian Parliament (Les Corts) against the investiture of the People's Party candidate.

The new head of the Valencian government divided his speech into two parts. In the first, he praised the measures implemented thanks to the legislative pact signed in 2023 with Vox and the budget agreement reached this year with the far-right party. These policies include the elimination of taxes such as inheritance and gift taxes, a purported reduction in healthcare waiting lists, and what both parties call "educational freedom," which is based on the voluntary use of Valencian in education and, to a much lesser extent, Spanish. The second part of his speech was dedicated to accepting almost point by point Vox's demands. He gave prominence to the primary sector and criticized the European institutions that set "unattainable goals" with the European Green Deal. "It is the most serious threat to our farmers," he emphasized. "It has more bureaucracy than opportunities. [...] From Brussels, they allow products from third countries to enter that don't meet the same requirements or controls. This isn't climate justice," he added. Policies regarding migrants were another key focus of Pérez Llorca's speech, in which he argued that they have been warning for months "about the overcrowding of children's centers." "We oppose a distribution system that uses minors as political pawns and leaves out its partners in the Basque Country and Catalonia. This isn't solidarity, it's blackmail. That's why we work to ensure that unaccompanied minors who arrive in our community return to their parents," he pointed out before demanding that the Spanish government implement projects free from "ideological criteria" or environmental protection regulations.

It took the rebuttal period for Pérez Llorca to admit some disagreements with his coalition partner. Among them was the demand for a reform of the regional financing system, which the PP, along with the PSPV and Compromís, is calling for, but which Vox rejects. Another point of contention was the Valencian Language Academy, which the far right is demanding be eliminated as soon as possible—a move that would require more seats than the right-wing bloc currently holds—and, in the meantime, that the institution's funding be cut by 50%—it was reduced by 25% in the last budget. "I believe in the institution, and we must protect it. It's not about cutting back, but about reorganizing it," the PP candidate amended, a statement that Vox then accepted.

The new Valencian president also took the opportunity to boast about his public image as a good administrator and assured everyone that he offers a "calm, firm, and hardworking path." He promised to negotiate with all parties and defined himself as a conciliatory and cross-party figure, a portrayal the opposition rejected, emphasizing that no one who makes a pact with Vox can be considered moderate.

"Mazón's front man"

Despite his efforts, Pérez Llorca's words have failed to convince the opposition groups. The spokesperson for the PSPV, José Muñoz, accused the PP leader of being "the cover-up artist, the front man, [Mazón's] number two." "He's not here to clean anything up, he's here to hide it," the Socialist leader emphasized. Similarly, the spokesperson for Compromís, Joan Baldoví, argued that the Popular Party and the far right "no longer represent the social majority" and that the only dignified way out of the current situation is to call elections and not accept "a provisional regent."

Inauguration

The next step in Mazón's succession will take place next Tuesday at 12 noon when Juanfran Pérez Llorca will be sworn in as head of the Valencian Government in a plenary session of the Valencian Parliament. During the session, he will present a summary of his government program, which will not be open for debate. This was agreed upon this Thursday by the Board of Spokespersons, which met after the investiture session. The Speaker of Parliament will now inform the King of the appointment of the new head of the Government, which will be published in the Official Gazette. Official State Gazette and in the Official Gazette of the Valencian Government Within ten days. At that time, Pérez Llorca will be in a position to announce the composition of his executive team.