Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to deploy the full force of the state against any Extremadura regional laws enacting the PP-Vox pact's 'national priority' clause, which prioritizes Spaniards for social aids over irregular immigrants. The threat follows criticism from Madrid's Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who called the measure illegal.
Building on the PP-Vox agreement for María Guardiola's investiture as Extremadura president—detailed in prior coverage including Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso's opposition—the pact includes a 'national priority' principle for access to aids, subsidies, public benefits, and social housing, favoring Spaniards over foreigners, with irregular immigrants limited to vital emergencies only.
After the Spanish-Brazilian summit in Barcelona with President Lula da Silva on April 17, 2026, Sánchez declared: "El papel lo aguanta todo, but I tell the right and far-right that the Government will challenge that agreement with all the force of the State to defend the rights and freedoms of Extremadurans if they turn it into regional laws." He labeled it an "involución" clashing with Extremadura's migrant heritage.
Ayuso, speaking from Brussels, had earlier deemed many pact elements, including healthcare exclusions, illegal and contrary to contributions-based rights. Vox hailed the deal as a "historic milestone," despite planned cuts to renewables. The parties aim to push for national legal changes, given regional limits.
