Ayuso begins his second term besieged by the demands of Vox and criticism from the left

The high price that Isabel Díaz Ayuso will have to pay for staying in power can be calculated from legal reform to legal reform, and controversial to controversy, while Rocío Monasterio, the regional leader of Vox, speaks. It happens this Friday, on the second day of the debate for her investiture as president of the Community of Madrid, which culminates successfully when she received 77 votes in favor to 57 against. Before receiving the necessary support from the extreme right, Monasterio reminds Díaz Ayuso that he will fight to the dog's eye every vote of the legislature: “law by law” he specifies. That in exchange for your support, he aspires to break long-fought consensus (he asks to repeal the law against gender violence and LGTBI, or close Telemadrid). And that she is ready for anything: she targets Serigne Mbayé, deputy of Podemos.

Ayuso plans a tax cut of 300 million

Díaz Ayuso promotes the ideological rearmament of the PP

―Our problem is not that Mbayé is tall, short, black or white, but that he entered our country illegally, skipping the entry queue of many legal immigrants, says the leader of Vox.

―Racism has no place in the Assembly, Mbayè counters, while the Chamber is filled with shouts, shouts and applause.

Controversy acts like an alarm clock. With the stridency of an alarm, he abruptly awakens the PP, which since May 4 has been hypnotized by the 65 deputies that his candidate won in the elections. Suddenly, Monasterio's words remind him that this magnificent result is not enough on its own. That is not enough. And that everything, everything, depends on Vox, the only party willing to support the PP in its attempt to finally approve some Budgets (it has been two years without even trying); or some new draft law (none has come to fruition since 2019). A dependency, it is clear in the controversy over Mbayé, which has a price.

Because Hana Jalloul, PSOE spokesperson, immediately sympathizes with the Podemos deputy: "A very heartfelt hug to my colleague Serigne, people are not illegal," he says.

So does Mónica García, from Más Madrid: "Our strongest support for our colleague Serigne, no hate speech is going to make us move one iota of our convictions," he criticizes.

Meanwhile, the PP keeps a thunderous silence.

Alfonso Serrano, his spokesman, says nothing about it.

And he does not comment on the controversial Díaz Ayuso, who even seems to endorse part of the Monastery speech: "Those who are really radical and sectarian are the parties of the left.

I was ashamed that they have treated their party like this, ”says the applicant.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, before the start of the debate.

Andrea Comas

That silence with borders of complicity reflects the wear and tear to which the PP will be exposed in its coexistence with Vox. As happened the last legislature, a few days the conservative formation will have to keep silent before the ultra, separating what they think from what they can say in public. Others will have to give ground to their most radical wing so that there is harmony between the two forces. And always, in any case, it will depend on Vox.

"We differ on many issues, but I am convinced that this will not be an obstacle," says Díaz Ayuso, who has designed a one-color and reduced government to gain agility after suffering two years within a coalition Executive with Ignacio Aguado.

"We are not like those of Cs, you have already given me the votes and if I have seen you I do not remember," he ironizes.

"I would like to continue looking for common spaces throughout the legislature."

Short term

The parliamentary arithmetic will fill with tensions a short legislature, of only two years, that looks from its birth towards the end point of the 2023 elections. As PP and Vox have not even tried to sign an agreement to provide parliamentary stability to the Government , Díaz Ayuso risks that every initiative that he brings to the Chamber will be hijacked by Vox. The rescue that the ultra party will ask for in exchange for their votes will be substantial, as Monastery makes clear this Friday, underlining the voracity of a formation that considers the concessions expressed by the candidate on Thursday insufficient (such as eliminating four councils or lowering the Personal income tax).

"In Madrid there are gender laws typical of the most radical left," says Monasterio to the surprise of the majority of the Chamber. “We are going to ask him to repeal the gender laws. We are going to demand it. Your voters will thank you, ”he blurts out. “We believe in legal and orderly immigration. Multiculturalism has failed. Whoever enters the march illegally, must leave ”, he launches. And he concludes: "Telemadrid must be closed because it is not a public service, nor is it necessary for the people of Madrid, it is a bottomless pit that consumes 74 million euros per year".

Díaz Ayuso does not enter the rag of that list of demands.

He barely points out some discrepancies between the two parties (the PP, he says, believes in the Autonomies), makes an effort to deny with data that foreigners commit more crimes than Spaniards, and then welcomes collaboration with the extreme right.

On the left there is concern.

Questions accumulate.

What is Díaz Ayuso willing to give in exchange for power?

The parental educational veto, so that parents decide what is taught in schools?

The audit of subsidies that Monastery demands to later see if in this way the organizations that fight for gender equality can be drowned?

The elimination of government commissioners?

All the deputies left the chamber with more doubts than certainties, and more concern than tranquility.

"What has Vox offered you?"

This is how García, from Más Madrid, expresses it.

"At this time you still have not told us what you have offered to Vox," says the new head of the opposition, sitting in front of Díaz Ayuso.

"The closure of Telemadrid?

The apology of racism in the schools as Mrs. Monasterio has done?

What is the price to pay? ”He wonders.

"We Madrid deserve to know."

In the same vein, the co-spokesperson of Podemos, Alejandra Jacinto, argues.

"He says he differs from Vox, but he thanks him for the support," he reproaches Díaz Ayuso.

How do you differ from Mrs. Monastery?

Of the racism and classism that has been heard in this House? ”.

A concern shared by Jalloul, from the PSOE, while the left prepares for the inevitable: “You have the majority you were looking for, a majority with the extreme right.

You have what you wanted: that agreement from which all European rights flee in shame.

Those will be your travel companions. "

The journey begins this Friday, and it will be full of curves.

The PP needs Vox to govern.

Vox has to support the PP because its voters would not understand otherwise.

The PP and Vox compete to seduce the same voters.

And with the 2023 elections already on the horizon, this is how the Government of Díaz Ayuso starts: a match between the all-embracing power that the president appears to have, and the reality of her dependence on the Monastery.

Subscribe here

to our new newsletter about Madrid.