The Popular Party and Vox have approved amendments that would restrict face-covering garments in public services across the Valencian Community while tightening migrants’ access to regional welfare assistance.
The measures passed the Finance Committee of the Valencian Parliament as part of the accompanying legislation to the Generalitat’s 2026 budget. They must still receive final approval from the full parliament, expected on July 31, before becoming law.
Although the amendments do not specifically mention the burka or niqab, they require people to keep their faces “substantially uncovered” in educational establishments, health centres, regional public transport and entertainment venues.
Public employees would also be required to keep their faces visible while working and dealing with members of the public. PP and Vox said this was necessary to guarantee visual identification, improve security and protect women from being compelled to wear clothing that conceals their faces.
The agreement also introduces Vox’s principle of “national priority” into regional welfare policy. Migrants without regular legal status would generally be excluded from public benefits and social services except in cases of life-threatening emergencies.
The minimum registration or residency period required to qualify for the Valencian Inclusion Income would rise from 15 months to three years. Factors including length of residence, local registration and contributions to the welfare system could also be considered when determining access to assistance.
Other changes include restricting special menus in school canteens to cases supported by a medical prescription, effectively preventing schools from routinely providing halal menus.
PP and Vox also approved an increase in the Wealth Tax exemption threshold from €1 million to €2 million, delivering a further tax reduction principally benefiting those with higher-value assets. Several planning and administrative reforms were included in the legislative package.
The PSPV-PSOE and CompromĂs strongly criticised the measures, accusing the PP of adopting Vox’s policies and introducing significant legal changes through last-minute amendments without sufficient scrutiny or the usual advisory reports.
Opposition parties submitted almost 200 amendments, but virtually all were rejected. Their proposals included redirecting funding from the Fighting Bull Foundation to emergency services, restoring the prohibition of conversion therapy and permanently protecting public housing.
CompromĂs has indicated that it could challenge the welfare and face-covering provisions on constitutional grounds. The agreement follows earlier PP-Vox negotiations to introduce “national priority” into Valencian social policy
