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Ortega Smith Remains in Vox's Congressional Group One Month After Expulsion

Despite official party expulsion, the Vox founder retains his seat, with activity limited to voting in plenary sessions.

Generic image of a microphone on an empty podium in a parliamentary chamber.
IA

Generic image of a microphone on an empty podium in a parliamentary chamber.

One month after the Vox Guarantee Committee announced his expulsion, [Javier Ortega Smith](https://www.madridiario.es/tag/javier-ortega-smith) continues to be part of the party's parliamentary group in the Congress of Deputies.

The situation of the founder and former secretary general of Vox remains in parliamentary limbo following the party's decision to remove him for a "very serious infraction" related to his refusal to relinquish his role as spokesperson for the party in the Madrid City Council. Although his appeal against the expulsion was rejected on April 16, formalizing his departure from the party, Ortega Smith remains affiliated with Vox's group in the Lower House.
His activity in Congress has been drastically reduced. Since January, there have been no recorded interventions from him in plenary sessions, and his last registered parliamentary initiative dates back to February 24, when he submitted a written question to the government regarding residency permits for rootedness, permanent residency, and nationality. Despite this limited activity, Ortega Smith continues to receive his salary as a deputy, which includes the basic constitutional allowance and the compensation for being elected in Madrid.
Meanwhile, Ortega Smith maintains his position as Vox's spokesperson in the Madrid City Council, where he holds the majority support of the municipal group. He has warned that there will be no changes until the courts resolve the lawsuit he has filed against the party's leadership for alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
The leadership of the parliamentary group in Congress, headed by [Pepa Millán](https://www.madridiario.es/tag/pepa-millan), has opted to keep him in their ranks for the time being. The spokesperson recently stated that the internal procedure is ongoing and its outcome is "very predictable," alluding to a possible move to the Mixed Group.
Prior to his formal expulsion, Vox had already been removing Ortega Smith from various internal and parliamentary positions. In January 2024, he ceased to hold relevant positions in the Executive, and in December, he was removed from the party's leadership. In Congress, he also lost his position as deputy spokesperson, his seat on the Permanent Deputation, and the spokespersons roles in the Interior and Justice commissions.
If he eventually joins the Mixed Group, he could face resistance from a significant portion of its members, who previously imposed similar restrictions on former minister [José Luis Ábalos](https://www.madridiario.es/tag/jose-luis-abalos), denying him speaking time, initiative quotas, or committee representation.

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