The Government of Spain expresses its satisfaction with the Conference of Presidents in Cantabria for consolidating the dialogue and co-governance model

Magdalena Palace, Santander

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, presided over the 27th Conference of Presidents, held at the Magdalena Palace in Santander, Cantabria, on Friday. The Executive made a satisfactory assessment of the meeting and highlighted the highly constructive nature of this forum as a space for dialogue to strengthen the model of co-governance and make progress in the defence of the general interests of citizens.

"This has been a meeting of historic importance because we have had all the regional presidents, without exception. We want to emphasise this as an act of institutional normalisation and an aspiration to ensure that no one is left out", said the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, in his appearance at the end of the Conference of Presidents.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and King Felipe VI stroll through the gardens of the Magdalena Palace | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Firm defence of housing as a constitutional right

During the meeting, the President of the Government of Spain focused on housing as a constitutional right and proposed an agreement to achieve a permanent and irreversible public housing stock, which would place Spain at the level of the most developed European countries in this area, with 20% public housing.

Minister Torres stressed the need to reform the Land Law, which offers greater legal certainty to local councils to modify their urban plans and, at the same time, helps to accelerate the construction of affordable housing and to adapt current regulations to the challenge of climate change.

Similarly, Torres called on the autonomous communities and cities to apply the Housing Law, which has already demonstrated its effectiveness in the territories where it has been applied.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, together with the other regional presidents at the working session of the conference

Renewing the regional funding system "based on consensus"

The President of the Government of Spain underlined the commitment of the Executive to carry out a renewal of the regional financing system "based on consensus" and put forward a proposal to hold the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council at the beginning of 2025 to propose that the State assume part of the debt of the autonomous communities and cities.

"We want the autonomous communities, as we have done in these six years of government, to have more economic resources; in fact, they have received 300 billion more, which means an average increase of 47.4%", assured Minister Torres.

The minister emphasised the government's aim to increase the financing of all autonomous communities and cities year on year. "Every year we have had more resources for the communities, more transfers, more payments on account and, therefore, more possibilities for them to carry out their policies", said Torres, who also highlighted the unprecedented investment effort made by the Government in the local authorities.

Responsible migration policy and better health care

On migration issues, the President of the Government of Spain reaffirmed his willingness to work towards an agreement to reform article 35 of the Law on Foreigners, which would provide a response to the situation experienced by some border territories, especially in the case of unaccompanied minors, which is a regional competence.

Likewise, in terms of healthcare, the head of the Executive announced that he will allocate extraordinary resources at the beginning of 2025 for the adoption and development of new healthcare solutions based on Artificial Intelligence, as well as public university places for healthcare; all of this with the aim of improving patient care and optimising healthcare workers' time.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, at the press conference following the Conference of Regional Presidents | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Solidarity and commitment to the people affected by the DANA

The President of the Government of Spain has shown his solidarity with and commitment to those affected by the DANA and has proposed the reprogramming of European funds, ERDF funds and the European Social Fund Plus to help the autonomous communities, especially the Valencian Community. "Citizens must get the best and quickest response from the administrations to the situation they are suffering," said Torres.

Barcelona, location for the next Conference of Presidents

With regard to the next edition of the Conference of Presidents, Minister Torres announced that Barcelona will host the event, at the proposal of the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, during this Friday's plenary meeting.

The meeting of the 27th Conference of Presidents was attended by the three Vice-Presidents of the Government, María Jesús Montero, Yolanda Díaz and Sara Aagesen, as well as the ministers Ángel Víctor Torres, Isabel Rodríguez, Mónica García and Elma Saiz. The meeting was also attended by the President of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), María José García-Pelayo.

The Conference of Presidents, the highest body for multilateral collaboration between the State and the autonomous communities and cities, was created 20 years ago, in 2004, and has held 27 editions, 21 of which have taken place with Pedro Sánchez as President of the Government.

Non official translation