María Guardiola Invested as President of Extremadura with PP and Vox Support, Promises Stability and Equality Gains

María Guardiola has been invested as president of the Junta of Extremadura after securing the support of both the PP and Vox in a parliamentary vote held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

The investiture took place following more than three hours of debate in the Assembly of Extremadura, after which Guardiola obtained an absolute majority in the first round of voting. She received 40 votes in favor — 29 from the PP and 11 from Vox — while 25 deputies voted against, comprising 18 from the PSOE and 7 from Unidas por Extremadura.

Guardiola’s investiture comes after the PP and Vox signed a coalition government agreement on Thursday, April 16, 2026, which paved the way for her candidacy. Under the agreement, Vox will hold the vice presidency and two ministerial portfolios: the Ministry of Families, Deregulation and Social Services, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Environment. Óscar Fernández, the Vox candidate in Extremadura, will assume the vice presidency and lead the Ministry of Families, Deregulation and Social Services.

During her investiture speech, Guardiola defended the coalition agreement, stating that it would bring stability to Extremadura and that her government would “fulfill” the pact. She emphasized that there would be “no step backward” on equality or LGBTQ+ rights, declaring that such principles were “never negotiable” and would not be compromised.

She also asserted that her executive “firmly believes in freedom” and governs “for all,” rejecting what she described as the left’s “moral trenches.” Guardiola said she practices a feminism “of facts and results,” and criticized the left for allegedly “manipulating” and “failing to tell the truth and show respect” on immigration, accusing them of using migrants as “political merchandise.”

Addressing Vox directly, Guardiola stressed that while the PP and Vox are not the same party and do not share all viewpoints, they are united by the will to improve Extremadura and the lives of its residents. She said this shared goal would be “more than enough” to initiate a period of prosperity and growth for the region.

Guardiola called for the coalition to deliver stability “without noise, without surprises, and without provocations,” and affirmed that the PP “will fulfill” its commitments under the agreement.

Context of the Agreement

The PP-Vox coalition in Extremadura ends more than 100 days of political deadlock following a failed investiture vote in early March. The agreement, which includes 61 points and 74 measures across all policy areas, was announced in Mérida and marks the formal entry of Vox into the regional government.

The investiture debate and swearing-in ceremony were scheduled for April 21 and 22, with a confirmatory vote expected on Friday, April 24, 2026, according to prior announcements from the parties involved.