PP and Vox have reached a coalition agreement enabling María Guardiola to be invested as President of the Junta of Extremadura, ending more than 100 days of political deadlock following a failed investiture vote in March.
The agreement was announced jointly by Guardiola and Óscar Fernández, the regional leader of Vox, during a press conference in Mérida on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Guardiola stated the pact includes 61 points with 74 measures across all policy areas and will allow her to govern for a four-year term.
Under the terms of the deal, Vox will hold one vice presidency and two regional ministerial portfolios. Óscar Fernández will serve as vice president and head of a newly created ministry for Deregulation, Social Services, and Family. The second Vox-led ministry will oversee Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Environment.
the PP has agreed to cede its autonomous senator seat to Vox, which will be filled by Ángel Pelayo Gordillo. This requires the resignation of the current PP senator, Laureano León.
Guardiola emphasized that the agreement resolves a prolonged period of institutional blockage, stating, “Extremadura has stopped being at the back of everything” and that the region will now receive “all the power” it needs. She added that the coalition could not allow a blockade that had persisted for too long.
Fernández confirmed he would take on the vice presidency and the ministry of Deregulation, Social Services, and Family, describing the deregulation portfolio as a key achievement for Vox after difficult negotiations with the PP.
The investiture vote for Guardiola is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 21–22, 2026, with her formal inauguration set for Friday, April 25, 2026, if successful.
This marks the second time Guardiola has formed a coalition with Vox; her first attempt in 2023 collapsed due to national-level disagreements, leading to a snap election in December 2025. Although her party won the most votes in that election, it fell short of a majority, necessitating renewed negotiations.
The prolonged negotiations were influenced by successive electoral events and mutual distrust, particularly from Vox leadership toward the PP at both regional and national levels.
Guardiola, born December 5, 1978, in Cáceres, has been President of Extremadura since July 14, 2023. She previously led the People’s Party of Extremadura and served on the Cáceres City Council from 2015 to 2022.
With the agreement now in place, the focus shifts to the upcoming investiture vote and the implementation of the coalition’s policy agenda across Extremadura’s government departments.
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