Andalusian Government Sparks Backlash by Handing Gender-Based Violence Policies to Vox
La Marea
- The Andalusian government has ceded control over policies regarding gender-based violence to the far-right party Vox.
- Spain's Ministry of Equality has requested an urgent meeting and demanded a reversal of the decision, citing the party's history of denying such violence.
- Regional leaders, feminist organizations, and opposition parties have condemned the move as a major risk to women's safety and institutional integrity.
Scope of the Agreement
- Following a government pact signed on July 2, 2026, Vox gained management of the Comprehensive Evaluation Units for Gender-Based Violence.
- These units are responsible for assessing victims, perpetrators, and minors exposed to gender-based violence.
- Vox has frequently used terms like "gender ideology" to discredit efforts against male-to-female violence, with some members openly denying the existence of gender-based violence.
Political and Social Response
- Minister of Equality Ana Redondo wrote to regional President Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, warning that Andalusian women cannot be treated as "second-class victims."
- Teresa García of the Seville Feminist Forum described the move as a "grave irresponsibility" and part of a long-standing dismantling of equality policies in the region.
- Opposition parties, including the Socialist Party (PSOE) and United Left (IU), accused Moreno Bonilla of sacrificing women's rights to secure political support from Vox.
Context and History
- The evaluation units are specialized bodies composed of forensic experts, psychologists, and social workers.
- Since entering the Andalusian parliament in 2019, Vox has targeted these professionals, accusing them of ideological bias and previously demanding a list of staff names for potential purging.