Culture distributes 350,000 euros among party foundations according to the results of July 23rd

The Ministry of Culture will distribute 350,000 euros among the foundations and associations linked to the parties with representation in the Cortes Generales, in proportion to the results of the general elections of July 23, 2023. This is established by Royal Decree 852/2026, of October 21, approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on October 20 and published in the Official State Gazette on Friday, October 23, 2026, in issue number 263, section I, page 141851 (official reference BOE-A-2026-22082).

The regulation governs the direct granting of subsidies for the operating expenses of these entities during the year 2026, intended for activities of study and development of political and social thought. The text is signed by King Felipe VI and by the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun Domènech, and enters into force the day following its publication, that is, October 24, 2026.

Direct grant regardless of competitive bidding

The royal decree is based on article 22.2.c) of the General Subsidies Law 38/2003, of November 17, and on article 67 of its Regulation, approved by Royal Decree 887/2006, which allow for the direct and exceptional granting of aid where reasons of public, social, economic, or humanitarian interest concur that hinder a public call for applications. The Government justifies the direct route on the grounds that the distribution criterion—the parliamentary representation obtained—is such a specific legal constraint that it is incompatible with the mechanics of competitive bidding.

The framework is completed by the seventh additional provision of Organic Law 8/2007, of July 4, on the financing of political parties, and by the fourth additional provision of Organic Law 6/2002, of June 27, on Political Parties. State competence is supported by article 149.2 of the Spanish Constitution, which attributes the service of culture as an essential duty to the State.

The distribution, party by party

The maximum amount per organization, calculated based on the July 23 results, is as follows:

• Foundations and associations of the Partido Popular (PP): 119,605.43 euros.
• Of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE): 96,735.38 euros.
• Of VOX: 44,803.47 euros.
• Of the SUMAR coalition: 44,627.54 euros.
• Of the Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC-PSOE): 17,899.92 euros.
• Of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC): 6,830.00 euros.
• Of the Junts coalition: 5,795.42 euros.
• Of the Euskal Herria Bildu (EH Bildu) coalition: 4,911.65 euros.
• Of the Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea-Partido Nacionalista Vasco (EAJ-PNV): 4,063.95 euros.
• Of the Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG): 2,256.95 euros.
• Of the Coalición Canaria (CCa) coalition: 1,705.42 euros.
• Of Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN): 764.87 euros.

The total amounts to 350,000.00 euros, charged to budget application 24.01.334A.487 of the expenditure budget of the Ministry of Culture. In the case of electoral coalitions, the foundations and associations linked to the parties or federations that compose them shall be the beneficiaries; if there are several, the certificate of linkage must specify the distribution percentages.

Deadlines, expenses, and control

The procedure is initiated ex officio upon the entry into force of the regulation. Interested entities have a maximum period of ten days to submit their application through the electronic office of the Ministry of Culture, including a project report, income and expenditure budget, statutes, and certification of political linkage. The instruction corresponds to the Technical Cabinet of the Undersecretariat of Culture and the resolution to the holder of the Undersecretariat, who must issue and notify it within a maximum of two months; failure to do so shall result in the application being deemed rejected by administrative silence.

Eligible for subsidies, among others, are research programs, courses, seminars and conferences, training activities, exhibitions and congresses, documentation centers, and the editing of publications, provided that expenses are incurred between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Works on real estate, equipment, depreciation, and taxes are excluded. Per diems and travel expenses may not exceed 20% of the subsidized amount, and protocol expenses may not exceed 5%. The aid may not exceed 75% of the entity’s total income budget.

Payment is made in advance following the resolution and without the need for a bond. Justification must be presented between January 1 and June 30, 2027: a complete justification account for grants of 60,000 euros or more, and a simplified account for amounts below that figure. Entities are subject to the control of the General Comptroller of the State Administration and the Court of Auditors, and the grants will be published in the National Grants Database.

The distribution occurs three years after the elections that establish the percentages and consolidates a system of direct financing, without competition, for party structures. The amount is modest compared to overall public spending, but the precedent is significant: the electoral criterion is established in a regulatory norm, and expenditure control relies on subsequent justification rather than the prior selection of projects.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 263, of October 23, 2026, section I (General Provisions), page 141851 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-22082).