Strong Regional Backlash Against Sánchez-Junqueras Catalonia Funding Deal
Regional leaders from Aragón and Valencia strongly oppose the new Sánchez-Junqueras financing deal favoring Catalonia, calling for urgent political dialogue and equitable funding reforms.
- • Jorge Azcón denounces the €4.7 billion Catalonia funding deal as unfair and politically motivated.
- • Azcón and José Antonio Rovira call for urgent and multilateral fiscal policy meetings.
- • Valencia and Aragón criticize preferential treatment of Catalonia and demand transparency.
- • PSOE defends the deal but faces demands to prioritize regional equity over party politics.
Key details
Jorge Azcón, President of Aragón, has vehemently criticized the recent financing agreement between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and ERC leader Oriol Junqueras that allocates an additional €4.7 billion annually to Catalonia. Calling the pact the "agreement of shamelessness" and a "photo of insolidarity," Azcón warned that this preferential treatment undermines other regions, particularly Aragón, which has already lost over €90 million under the current funding model. He contends the deal prioritizes Catalonia's interests for Sánchez's political survival, especially ahead of the February 8 regional elections, calling on all autonomous community leaders to convene urgently via the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy (CPFF) to ensure fair and collective decision-making regarding public financing.
Valencia's Conseller of Economy, José Antonio Rovira, echoed this criticism, emphasizing that regional financing negotiations must be multilaterally discussed within the CPFF and not used as bilateral political bargaining chips. Rovira highlighted that Valencians have suffered from the current system’s singularities favoring Catalonia and insisted on transparency and equity, demanding that the Comunitat Valenciana stop being among Spain's worst-funded regions.
Azcón extended his call for cooperation, inviting PSOE regional leaders to place coherence above party interests amid accusations that the PSOE has prioritized its independentist partners over balanced regional support. PSOE spokespeople defend the agreement, asserting it benefits all communities and have urged Azcón to avoid confrontation. Meanwhile, opposition voices like PP’s Fernando Ledesma and PAR’s Alberto Izquierdo demand a fairer funding model that recognizes Aragón’s demographic challenges, with Izquierdo advocating for Aragón to establish its own treasury.
With details of the new financing plan yet to be fully disclosed by Finance Minister María Jesús Montero, regional leaders remain anxious, viewing the deal as a betrayal of inter-territorial solidarity and an affront to regions outside Catalonia. The growing discontent reflects broader tensions in Spain’s regional financing system, as communities contest for equitable resources amid political maneuvering in the central government.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
