Overview
- Ayuso, speaking in the Madrid Assembly on Thursday, said her government will contest Real Decreto 180/2026 in court.
- The announcement came during a question from Vox, which pressed for “national priority” in care and claimed 700,000 irregular migrants were treated since 2019, a figure reported without independent verification.
- The national decree, approved on March 10, restores and regulates access to Spain’s public health system for people who lack legal residency, and it remains in force.
- Ayuso argued the rule will strain services and encourage “sanitary tourism,” yet said Madrid will not refuse emergency care based on a person’s legal status and noted the region lacks powers over immigration policy.
- An appeal would trigger judicial review and prolong political tension, and coverage split along familiar lines, with right-leaning outlets stressing service pressure and left-leaning reports questioning the evidence for a collapse.