González outlined these priorities during his parliamentary appearance to present the main initiatives of his department during the legislative term. He said the regional government’s social policy would be guided by current regulations, the rationalization of public spending and “common sense,” while also stating that “when it comes to investing in social spending, Spaniards cannot come last.”
LEGAL RESIDENCE AND ESTABLISHED ROOTS AS CRITERIA
The director general argued that social benefits should be aimed at people in vulnerable situations, but always within the limits established by law. “Social aid is neither charity nor a mere administrative procedure; it is owed to the individual,” he said during his speech.
In this regard, González argued that the system should “give priority to those who reside legally in Spain and have genuine, demonstrable and loyal roots in our state governed by the rule of law.” In his view, the situation of a person with legal residence cannot be equated with that of someone who has settled in Spain irregularly.
The head of Social Aid linked this position to Spain’s own definition as a social, democratic state governed by the rule of law. He explained that the role of social policies is to tell vulnerable people that they “are not alone,” while maintaining compliance with regulations as one of the criteria governing the use of public resources.
