Following the PP's victory in Extremadura's December 21 elections—securing 29 seats but needing Vox's 11 for a majority—acting president María Guardiola contacted Vox leader Óscar Fernández last Tuesday to initiate government formation talks. The brief, cordial call prioritized regional stability over positions, with negotiations hinging on Vox's previously rejected 206-measure document.
The phone call, held Tuesday afternoon, laid groundwork for future discussions without delving into seat distribution. "Think only of Extremadura. We don't need to talk about posts, but about stability, about four years to keep growing," Guardiola said Friday at a press conference after her party's Directorate Committee in Mérida.
Vox's October document, rejected by Guardiola during failed 2026 budget talks for being unfeasible and illegal, demands include scrapping the abortion objectors registry, cutting subsidies for international cooperation, gender ideology, unions, and employers; repealing the LGTBI law, eliminating the ecotasa, and opposing the European Green Deal. Vox insists no new proposals have been added, while PP sources indicate adjustments to some items for a potential deal.
Guardiola emphasized her autonomy: "I only think about Extremadura. Negotiations from Madrid complicate things a lot." The Extremadura Assembly convenes January 20, launching a one-month investiture period.
Final overseas (CERA) vote counts, completed Friday, left results unchanged: PSOE retains its Cáceres deputy by 38 votes amid low turnout (913 of 12,769 in Badajoz). PSOE's José Luis Quintana called any abstention request a 'total failure' for Guardiola, framing his party as the true alternative.
