The former Minister of Agriculture José Luis Aguirre will occupy the second position for Valencia in the Senate after the agreement reached this Monday between PP and Vox to coordinate their lists in several constituencies for the Upper House ahead of the general elections on November 29, as sources familiar with the pact have indicated to Europa Press.
Aguirre, a leader of Vox, served as Minister of Agriculture for approximately one year, following the regional elections of 2023. During that period, PP and Vox shared the Consell until mid-2024, when Santiago Abascal's party decided to leave the regional governments due to their disagreement with Alberto Núñez Feijóo's party position regarding migrant minors. Before taking on the Agriculture portfolio, Aguirre had already been a Vox deputy in Les Corts.
Aguirre's entry into the Senate candidacy for Valencia, led by the vice president and Minister of Equality, Susana Camarero (PP), has involved an internal reorganization among the 'popular' candidates as a result of the agreement between both formations.
In this new arrangement, PP senator Luis Santamaría will not repeat as number 2 for Valencia in the Upper House and will instead join the Congress list for this province in the sixth position. Initially, the mayor of Algemesí, José Javier Sanchis, had been announced for that position in the Congress candidacy, but he has ultimately resigned in accordance with the pact between PP and Vox, as other sources familiar with the list's preparation have detailed.
With these changes, the trio for Valencia in the Senate will be formed by Susana Camarero, José Luis Aguirre, and Ruth Sánchez. In parallel, the PP candidacy for Valencia in Congress will be led by the mayor of València, Mª José Catalá, with the mayor of Utiel and provincial deputy, Ricardo Gabaldón, and national deputy Belén Hoyo as numbers 2 and 3, respectively. Following them will be Fernando de Rosa as number 4, Esperanza Reynal as number 5, and in sixth place, Luis Santamaría.
The agreement reached this Monday between Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Santiago Abascal covers 23 constituencies and seeks to articulate a broad majority in the Senate that counters the joint candidacy sealed by PSOE, Frente Amplio, and various territorial leftist forces on October 16. Under this understanding, Vox will renounce presenting lists in six provinces, including Valencia and Castellón, while the PP will do the same in three.