Valencia Parliament Approves 2026 Budget Enshrining "National Priority" Aid Clause

The Parliament of the Valencian Community approved the regional budget for 2026 on July 22. Following two days of intense negotiations, the People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox reached an agreement that, for the first time in Spanish legal history, explicitly enshrines the principle of "national priority"—giving Spanish citizens precedence over immigrants in accessing public aid.

Vox spokesperson José María Llanos triumphantly declared: “National priority is here to stay. Sooner or later it will be incorporated into national legislation. This budget is only the beginning. Spaniards come first.”

The priority clause applies to applicants who can demonstrate a "real, lasting, and verifiable rootedness" within the Valencian Community. Nevertheless, a requirement that had previously existed solely in Vox's political rhetoric has now become codified in an official legislative document.

On Monday, the PP agreed to incorporate the "national priority" principle into youth housing support programs across municipalities facing depopulation, prioritizing applicants with proven long-term residency. Twenty-four hours later, the Economy, Budgets, and Finance Committee approved Vox's amendments mandating the inclusion of "national priority" into future laws governing the Valencian guaranteed minimum income, applying to both current and prospective recipients.

The Socialist Party of Valencia (PSPV) announced it will examine grounds for legally challenging the amendments, arguing they violate constitutional guarantees of equal access to public services and benefits. In response, the PP contended that rootedness criteria are already employed across various administrative procedures and fully comply with existing legislation—adding that socialist-managed municipalities apply similar conditions.

Compromís went further, accusing the PP of surrendering to Vox's ideological framework, dismissing the amendments as "cheap rhetoric" that fuels social confrontation. Meanwhile, the head of the Valencian government, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, insisted the budget is "realistic" and "the most socially-focused in history," placing the individual at the heart of public policy.

Beyond the "national priority" clause, Vox secured the addition of a new budget chapter dedicated to the demographic crisis and family support, allocating funds for child-rearing, extracurricular activity subsidies, and new maternity measures. The party also succeeded in tightening access to Valencian social benefits, extending the minimum regional residency requirement from 12 months to three years.

Furthermore, regional funding for major trade unions (CCOO, UGT) and the Red Cross was reduced by €100,000. An amendment introduced by the right-wing majority redirects €10,000 of those funds to finance a report examining links between immigration and crime.