Vox will not guarantee its support for the municipal budgets of Zaragoza City Hall for 2026 and thus opens an unprecedented scenario in the legislature of Natalia Chueca, who could be forced to extend the current accounts or submit to a motion of confidence. The spokesperson for the municipal group, Julio Calvo, confirmed that the party keeps open the possibility of abstaining or voting against the project presented by the PP, a decision which, he stressed, is adopted after “many internal debates” and responds to a change in political strategy at the national level.
“A new period is opening in which it will be necessary to tackle very important structural changes that have not been undertaken and a turning point in the pressure policy that our party is leading in this municipal council,” Calvo said. According to Vox, the decision is linked both to the national context – with a state legislature “practically exhausted” – and to the end of European funds scheduled for mid-2026, a scenario which, they warn, leaves administrations “without having done their homework”.
The spokesperson criticized what he considers an “oversized” municipal model, with a network of companies and boards of directors that, in his opinion, are “a bastion of opacity”, and criticized the implementation of the low emissions zone, while in other cities such as Seville or Valencia it has not come into force. He also denounced historic delays, such as the expulsion of the Torrero prison, and the execution of “useless” works while municipal equipment and infrastructure deteriorate.
“We understand that priority is given to the cutting of the inaugural ribbons before the needs of the residents,” summarized Calvo, who insisted on the lack of political will to eliminate overlapping powers within the City Hall itself and with other administrations, notably the Government of Aragon. “If there was more intelligence in the administrative organization, the same services could be provided more efficiently and without loss of quality,” he added.
Vox advisor Eva Torres spoke along the same lines, emphasizing the increase in spending in the preliminary draft budget. As explained, the accounts are based on an increase of 50 million euros in personnel and current expenditure on goods and services, which already represents more than 50% of the municipal budget. “We have an oversized City Hall that only consumes the resources of the inhabitants of Zaragoza,” he said.
Torres also warned about the budget’s impact on municipal debt. “Zaragoza is the most indebted city in Spain, with 523 million euros in the first quarter, compared to 143 million for a similar city like Seville,” he stressed. Although he acknowledged that debt has been reduced in recent years, he warned that increased spending would force the city government to rely on more outside financing. “The Town Hall asked for 30 million last year and this year it will be 55, which prevents a further reduction of the debt,” he stressed.
The councilor also highlighted the uncertainties regarding the expected revenues from the sale of municipal lands, such as those of Vía Hispanidad, and the high cost of large urban projects, among which the recovery of Huerva, the Cinema City and, above all, the new La Romareda soccer field. “We are three partners and we all have to respect the schedule; there is a lot of uncertainty and we are not exempt from needing more budget,” he warned.
Calvo confirmed that the mayor already knew Vox’s position from the last plenary session and recalled that Chueca had three alternatives: extend the 2025 budgets, present them or submit to a motion of confidence linked to the accounts. “There will be budgets,” he assured, even if he conditioned any support on the integration of the demands of his group, in particular the restructuring of the Municipal Council, the elimination of redundant powers and the paralysis of the low emissions zone.
“You cannot manage a city council as if it were a shopping center that announces news to entertain,” concluded the spokesperson, who confirmed that Vox consulted its decision with the national leadership of the party and received its support.
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