The display of LGBT flags on public buildings is set to be banned in the eastern Spanish town of Náquera, in the Valencian community, in accordance with a government agreement reached between the national-conservative VOX party and their center-right junior coalition partner party Partido Popular (PP).
While VOX came in first place in Náquera’s municipal elections in May, securing four councilors, the party, in order to obtain the outright majority required to govern, needed to forge a coalition agreement with the establishment of Partido Popular (PP), which acquired three councilors.
Following a few weeks of negotiations, the two parties reached an agreement—published on VOX Náquera’s Facebook page—on Sunday, June 18th, and the new mayor was officially sworn in. The government pact lays out a series of policies that the new mayor of the town, Iván Expósito, and the municipal leader of the PP and deputy mayor, Vincent Estelles, have agreed to implement throughout the course of their four-year term.
Specifically, point 15 of the 20 points stipulated in the agreement document prohibits the displaying of LGBT flags on the balconies and faces of municipal buildings.
Furthermore, the agreement includes policies described as “close to the real needs of the community” like increased direct support for families, help for the elderly, reduction of taxes, cutting red tape, and a cutting “socially unproductive political spending” such as funds for separatist or pro-Catalan organizations.
The announcement of the coalition deal comes one month ahead of Spain’s snap general elections, which are set to take place on July 23rd. At the moment, VOX is set to govern alongside the PP in six provinces, including Aragón, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, and Extremadura y Murcia. In other regions, like Murcia, the PP and the left-liberal PSOE have come together to form governments.
It remains to be seen, however, whether the PP, which according to the latest polls is well ahead of the other parties, will reach to the Left or Right to form a coalition after July’s snap elections. Increasingly, it appears that VOX, which is currently polling at around 14% nationally, is being viewed as a potential coalition partner by the PP.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijó, despite having previously ruled out the possibility of striking any coalition deal with VOX, appears to have warmed up to the idea as his party continues to form local governments with the national-conservative party.
