Spanish Government Files Constitutional Court Appeals Against Valencian LGTBI Law and Coastal Legislation

The Spanish government has taken decisive legal action against legislation passed by the right-wing coalition governing the Valencian Autonomous Community. On Friday, the Council of Ministers approved filing two appeals with the Constitutional Court. The first concerns amendments to the regional LGTBI law, and the second – amendments to coastal legislation. The decisions were preceded by positive opinions from the Council of State. The first of the challenged laws is the so-called Trans Law. Changes introduced by the Popular Party (PP) and Vox removed mandatory content on sexual and family diversity from school curricula. Furthermore, the amendments modify the scope of the ban on so-called conversion therapies. The central government, represented by Equality Minister Ana Redondo, claims these amendments "roll back anti-discrimination protections" and significantly weaken safeguards for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth. It argues they violate the constitutional principle of equality and the state's competence in guaranteeing fundamental rights. The Spanish model of autonomous state, established by the 1978 constitution after the fall of Franco's dictatorship, divides legislative powers between central authorities and 17 autonomous communities. The boundaries of these competences are a frequent source of disputes, ultimately resolved by the Constitutional Court. These disputes often also have a strong ideological dimension, especially on social issues such as minority rights. The second appeal concerns the Valencian coastal law, colloquially called the "anti-demolition law." The new legislation suspends the execution of demolition orders for properties in the coastal zone that were built in violation of regulations. According to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, this could lead to the de facto legalization of illegal construction on protected coastal land. The central government believes the region overstepped its powers by interfering in the management of the maritime-terrestrial public domain, which according to the constitution is the exclusive domain of the state. Madrid argues this sets a dangerous precedent violating the rule of law. The government of the Valencian Community, led by President Carlos Mazón of the PP, rejects these accusations. It maintains that both laws fall within the region's autonomous powers and serve to protect the rights of citizens and property owners. Regarding the coastal law, regional authorities emphasize the need to find fair solutions for individuals who acquired properties in good faith. The legal dispute before the Constitutional Court, which could last many months, is another chapter in the ongoing political and constitutional conflict between Pedro Sánchez's central government and autonomous communities governed by the right-wing opposition.