Vox enters its umpteenth internal crisis in the final stretch of the budget

PalmVox's internal instability has once again strained the PP on the eve of the budget approval. The far right erupted into its umpteenth internal crisis on the second day of the budget debate. The argument that took place this Monday between the spokesperson, Manuela Cañadas, and the deputy Idoia RibaThis has resulted, for now, in the latter's departure from the parliamentary group. She is the third MP to leave the group: in two years, Vox has gone from having eight MPs to only five. Meanwhile, the Catalan government's ministers defended the pact signed with the far right against attacks from the left, whom they accused of distorting and exaggerating its effects.

The Main concessions that the PP has made to Vox - such as the extension of the Land Acquisition Act or the inclusion of Spanish as a vehicular language in the Education Act - will not be debated this Tuesday, where the numerical amendments to the budget are being voted on. Most will be channeled through other laws or - such as dental tests for unaccompanied migrant minors - have been included in the final text of the budget that will be voted on this Wednesday. However, the PP has accepted - in dribs and drabs - some amendments from the left and has introduced agreements signed at the last minute with Vox, such as the Tax deductions so that siblings, uncles, and nephews pay less when they receive an inheritance.

Following the appearances of the heads of the Presidency and Tourism last Monday, this has been a marathon day: a plenary session that started at 9 a.m. ended after 8 p.m., without any retreats. The ministers of Education, Finance, Families and Social Affairs, Health, and the Marine and Water Cycle all defended the agreement signed with the far right, which should facilitate the approval of the accounts expected to be held tomorrow. Ribas's withdrawal—which, according to parliamentary sources, has not yet been formalized, although he declined to attend the plenary session—does not affect the majority, but it once again highlights the volatility of President Marga Prohens's parliamentary partner.

"We comply with the agreements with Vox and we will continue with the Free Language Choice Plan," said the Minister of Education, Antoni Vera, who has regretted that the left "does not accept the rules of the democratic game"Her department's budget has grown by 4.5% compared to the previous year, reaching €1.416 billion, of which €21 billion will be used to implement language choice in schools. PSIB MP Amanda Fernández has accused Vera of "Castilianizing" education, while Maria Ramon (MÁS for Mallorca) has called the language choice pilot plan a "pedagogical nonsense."

The Vice President and Minister of Economy, Finance, and Innovation, Antoni Costa, who led the negotiations with Vox, also strongly defended the pact. "There will be budgets and a significant improvement in public services," he said. His ministry's accounts amount to €79.7 million, 10% more than a year ago.

The PSIB MP, Carles Bona, criticized the tax cuts, insisting that the government is "giving away" €500 million in tax cuts to the wealthiest: "The PP and Vox are selling antisocial measures as savings." The Més MP for Menorca, Joana Gomila, echoed the sentiment: "Let those who have the most pay." Costa responded to the Socialist Party (PSIB) by accusing him of hoping for cuts to maintain opposition. "You would like us to be like Pedro Sánchez in Madrid, awash in corruption and with the entire legislature blocked," he added.

For his part, Lluís Apesteguia (MÁS for Mallorca) criticized the cuts in research and innovation and denounced that, in addition, resources are often not fully implemented. In this sense, he lamented the PP's commitment to an outdated model of society that "bets on an economy of heirs and rentiers."

Cerezo denies that the pact with Vox is the roadmap

The regional minister for Families and Social Affairs, Catalina Cirer, has been the one who has received the most attacks from the left over the pacts with Vox affecting immigration. Cirer denied that the Catalan government's roadmap is the agreement with Vox and asked the opposition "not to make people believe it is." "The PP's electoral program is the essential part of the roadmap," she insisted. "Do not say or make people believe that it is limited to the agreements signed with a political party."

PSIB MP Omar Lamin accused Cirer of "governing with fear and hatred," referring to Vox. "She will go down in history as the minister who trampled on social rights and attacked human rights," he said. "This pact is a social and humanitarian nonsense; you know it, I know it, and the only difference is that I can say it and you can't," retorted Marta Carrió (MÁS por Mallorca), referring to the refusal of Marga Prohens' government to accept more unaccompanied minors on the islands as part of the proposed distribution.

MÁS highlights waiting lists in the Health system

Regarding the Ministry of Health, which will be allocated €2.4459 billion (a 3.4% increase), Carrió highlighted the waiting lists in hospitals and lamented the lack of "a decisive commitment" to recruiting healthcare personnel. The increase in resources, emphasized PSIB MP Irantzu Fernández, is "insufficient." The regional minister, Manuela García, refuted the criticism by insisting that 2,273 healthcare professionals have been hired in two years.

For his part, the Minister for the Sea and the Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, defended the "Government's commitment" to the department, while Ferran Rosa (MÁS for Mallorca) responded: "Instead of water, they give us smoke." In this regard, Vox MP María José Verdú also considered that the resources are "far from reaching the level of ambition and commitment required by the current situation." The accounts have increased by €15.2 million compared to the previous year, reaching €180 million.