Aragon Votes in Regional Election Called Amid Budget Deadlock
Zaragoza, Spain – – Voters across the Aragon region are heading to the polls today to elect representatives to the Aragonese parliament in a snap election triggered by a political impasse over the regional budget. The election, the first time an Aragonese president has exercised the legal prerogative to call a snap election, sees all 67 seats in the Cortes of Aragon up for grabs.
At the IES Virgen del Pilar in Zaragoza, a noticeable level of activity was reported early in the day. Several voters expressed a sense of heightened electoral awareness in the days leading up to the election, though most indicated their choices were not swayed by the campaign itself. “The people want to vote,” said Noe Fau, a 28-year-old lawyer who traveled from Madrid to cast his ballot with his parents.
Fau’s mother echoed the sentiment, noting that the fact Aragon is voting independently for the first time has given “much more importance” to a region that “seems like it doesn’t exist.” Inside the polling station, election officials prepared for a steady stream of voters, with 14 stacks of ballots for each participating party, arranged according to the order of their official registration.
Cristina Calvo, a 39-year-old pharmacist, observed a similar atmosphere. “Everyone is talking about the elections. There’s been more commotion than other times,” she said, adding that she arrived early to vote before heading to the gym.
Pedro Arellano, a 49-year-old businessman, brought his two young sons to participate in the democratic process. He noted a sense of underlying tension, suggesting the election was being viewed as a referendum on national issues. His eldest son, Rodrigo, cast his ballot at the same table where Jorge Azcón, the People’s Party (PP) candidate for the Presidency of Aragon, was expected to vote shortly after.
Azcón, who is also the current president of the Aragonese government, has adopted a more assertive tone in recent days, with his messaging increasingly focused on national themes. The election was called after Azcón dissolved parliament following a deadlock in approving the regional budget.
According to Wikipedia, the 2023 election resulted in a coalition government formed between the People’s Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party under Azcón’s leadership. The PP currently holds 28 seats in the Cortes, while Vox has 7 and the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) holds 23. Other parties represented include CHA, Existe, and Podemos-AV, as well as IU–MS and PAR.
The Cortes requires 34 seats for a majority. The PP needs to gain 6 seats, PSOE needs 11, and Vox needs 27 to achieve a majority independently. CHA needs 31, Existe needs 31, and Podemos-AV needs 33.
The IES Virgen del Pilar, the location where Azcón cast his vote, has also been active in other events recently. According to the school’s website, they hosted an English conversation session with students in their vocational training program on , and a workshop on screen printing and visual creation. The school also recently held elections for its school council on , with Laura González and María Eugenia Recio elected to represent families.
