The Day of Andalusia, celebrated annually on February 28, is overshadowed this year by the approaching electoral campaign in Spain. President Juan Manuel Moreno is set to host the community's medal award ceremony at the Teatro de la Maestranza, but this year's event has drawn criticism. The central government's representatives, including key figures from the Socialist Party (PSOE), will notably abstain from attending, citing the event's lack of institutional nature and labeling it as a mere self-promotional occasion for Moreno.

Opposition parties, primarily the PSOE, voiced their discontent with the event's format, suggesting that it fails to serve its intended purpose by focusing too much on Moreno's agenda rather than on the community. María Jesús Montero, the PSOE's candidate for the presidency of the Junta de Andalucía and the current Treasury Minister, emphasized this point by planning to send lower-ranking representatives instead of attending personally, highlighting the estrangement from a tradition that has been integral to Andalusian pride over almost four decades.

This controversy underscores the increasingly polarized political landscape in Andalusia as election campaigns ramp up. With no opposition presence at such a significant event, the optics not only affect the immediate celebration but also provoke discussions about political representation, accountability, and the shifting dynamics within Andalusian politics as they head toward the elections.