The municipal group of Vox in Seville has announced that it will resort to legal action if the Urban Planning Management gives the green light to the Islamic Cultural Centre project next Tuesday. In addition, it warns of breaking the budget agreement with the PP.
The political standoff in the City Council of Seville over the construction of the Islamic Cultural Centre, which includes a mosque in the Polígono Sur, has reached a new point of tension. Vox threatened on Friday to take the case to court and to break the pact that allowed the approval of the 2026 Budgets if the local government led by José Luis Sanz approves the project.
The party led by Santiago Abascal in the city has appeared before the media to announce its outright rejection of the initiative, after it became known that the Urban Planning Management plans to approve the construction licence next Tuesday during the Executive Committee. Vox representatives believe that the project does not meet urban planning requirements and that its approval would be a mistake justifying drastic measures.
“We will not allow a mosque to be built under those conditions. If the licence is granted on Tuesday, we will go to court and break the budget pact,” sources from the municipal group have stated. The agreement between the PP and Vox was key to advancing this year's municipal accounts, and its rupture would leave the local government in a minority.
The Islamic Cultural Centre project has been on the table for years and has generated intense political and social debate in Seville. The chosen location, Polígono Sur, is an area with a high population density and a lack of facilities, but also with a strong community identity. The centre's proponents argue that it will be a space for intercultural meeting and dialogue, while its detractors warn of potential integration issues and urban impact.
The PP government team, for its part, maintains that the project complies with current regulations and that the licence will be granted if the technical reports are favourable. “The decision will be made based solely on technical and legal criteria, not political ones,” they have reiterated from the City Council. However, Vox's threat opens a scenario of uncertainty that could complicate the governance of the council.
The Executive Committee of the Urban Planning Management meets on Tuesday and, according to the agenda, includes the granting of the licence for the Islamic Cultural Centre. If approved, Vox would have a two-month period to present a contentious-administrative appeal, although the party has already indicated that it would act immediately. Furthermore, breaking the budget pact would mean that the PP would have to negotiate with other groups to approve any modifications to the accounts or new expenses.
This conflict adds to other disagreements between the two governing partners, who have maintained a tense relationship since the beginning of the legislature. The construction of the mosque has become a symbol of the ideological differences between the two parties, and its resolution will mark the political future of the City Council in the coming months.
For now, the local government has not made any official statements following Vox's announcement, but consulted municipal sources are confident that the licence will be granted with all legal guarantees. Meanwhile, residents of Polígono Sur remain attentive to a decision that will directly affect their neighbourhood. The project includes a prayer room, classrooms, a library, and green areas, and its promoters claim it will generate employment and cultural activity.
Next Tuesday will be a key date for the future of the centre and for the stability of the municipal government. The Urban Planning decision will determine whether Vox follows through on its threats or, conversely, if a dialogue pathway opens to avoid institutional clash.
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