It was precisely with Vox that the main standoff remained unresolved. Its spokesperson, Eva Torres, called on Chueca to first fulfill the commitments agreed for the 2026 budget before negotiating next year's accounts again. These include modifying the Low-Emission Zone, streamlining the municipal structure and implementing the budget allocations introduced by her party. Chueca, who has said she wants Vox to remain her partner, responded that she would study the alternative proposed for the LEZ, although she warned that any solution would have to comply with the law and avoid putting state subsidies for public transport at risk.
The mayor insisted that she was keeping "the door open" and called on the municipal groups to show "responsibility" so a new budget could be approved. She also expressed hope that the PSOE and Zaragoza en Común would not block the accounts, although both parties have staked out positions far removed from the municipal government. The Socialists have demanded measures such as free public transport during the construction works and announced new budget alternatives, while ZeC has said it will not support Chueca's budget and criticized the city council's spending model.
THE LOW-EMISSION ZONE, THE MAIN STICKING POINT WITH VOX
The proposal presented by Eva Torres for the Low-Emission Zone has become the most contentious issue in the round of talks. Vox is proposing the use of the values established at the national level for periods of high pollution and activating restrictions when certain levels are exceeded. Chueca has confirmed that she will study the formula, although she believes it is based on a legal instrument different from the specific regulations governing LEZs and doubts that it would allow the city to comply simultaneously with legal requirements and the conditions attached to transport subsidies.
"I am the mayor and I can never blindly follow proposals that are outside the law," Chueca stressed, insisting that her limit remains the same as when the 2026 budget agreement was reached. The mayor also defended the work carried out over several months by municipal services to find a formula that would reduce the impact of the restrictions without putting public transport discounts at risk.
The timetable is also adding pressure. Chueca wants to try to have the budget processed and approved within this financial year, something she considers a milestone for Zaragoza City Council. Meanwhile, the mayor is keeping negotiations with the groups open and has even confirmed that she will meet with unaffiliated councillor Marisa Gaspar next week. In this regard, it should be remembered that her support or abstention would be enough to get the budget approved, although, as Vox has stressed, approving the document with a "defector councillor" could carry a "political cost".
