The bicentennial of the constitution of the Diputación Provincial de Alicante is marked today, Sunday, May 15, a milestone observed with gratitude for a decade of service within the institution. The piece focuses not on the entrails of its history but on the practical evolution of provincial governance in the 21st century, drawing on the author’s participation in forums and years of professional experience rather than doctoral treatises. It reflects on how councils function in a modern Spain and the political conversations that accompany their role during difficult times.
The debate about the existence of councils is a persistent feature of Spanish politics. In the current crisis, it is almost inevitable that similar discussions will reappear. A key point is that any consolidation of powers would not simply reduce civil service; rather, the autonomous community would have to grow to assume the new responsibilities originally assigned to the provincial bodies, ensuring the delivery of essential services to municipalities of all sizes.
For instance, the Valencian Community’s budget for 2022 stood at 22,507 million euros while the Diputación de Alicante operated with 272 million euros, about 1% of the regional total. Hypothetical abolition of councils would likely not replicate the same level of municipal investment, subsidy, or technical assistance in smaller populations. Data in the record supports this expectation. The aim of councils is to partially correct the dysfunctions that small city councils face in daily management and to guarantee equal opportunity for residents in large urban centers and smaller towns alike.
One proposal is to directly elect provincial bodies to enhance political legitimacy. The current indirect election model, drawn from parliamentary traditions, has notable strengths but also several weaknesses. It does not lack merit, yet it suffers from limited social visibility, which complicates accountability and democratic legitimacy. Conflicts of interest and diverging goals arise from the participation of council members within city administrations and in overlapping roles where necessary. A further concern is that deputies may be drawn from among parliament members of the same political group.
What follows is a vision for reform: direct election of the Diputación plenary by voters, with the electoral roll limited to residents of municipalities connected to the Diputación. Citizens from capital cities and larger municipalities that operate independently should be excluded to prevent duplication of representation. The electoral map would reflect small and mid-sized municipalities, ensuring proportional representation while avoiding patronage networks and conflicts of interest.
A second pillar is for assemblies to form the backbone of equal opportunity across the province. The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the advantages of life in rural areas and towns, with telecommunication advances enabling teleworking and improving local quality of life. Assemblies would safeguard service quality and the investments that municipalities rely on for public provisioning, ensuring that northern and southern towns receive equitable support.
A third initiative calls for the creation of data intelligence and public policy evaluation units. Modern administration must rely on robust information systems that enable both internal and external insight while avoiding information overload. The regulatory function of a dynamic economy requires diverse channels and analytics to monitor economic, social, and labor developments in real time. The challenge lies in filtering noise and connecting disparate data banks so that assemblies can oversee service quality and cost effectively, a goal long sought since the latest local reforms.
Fourth, Diputación should act as a catalyst for regional transformation. Councils ought to help municipalities shape strategic plans for the broader region. Local powers tend to be short-lived; meaningful change requires a bottom-up approach that engages civil society and communities, with a broad consensus that endures political cycles and delivers progress despite fluctuations in leadership.
Finally, the evolution of public administration profiles is essential. The future mix combines legal expertise, technical acumen, and digital literacy, along with practical soft skills such as assertiveness, empathy, and communication. The emphasis on digital capabilities should accompany strong human skills to ensure effective governance in a changing landscape.
In essence, councils are the engine that sustains underpopulated municipalities, helping them catch up with larger towns. Provincial assemblies thus become a cornerstone of constitutional equality and a practical tool for balanced regional development across the province, serving as a vital instrument in ensuring that all residents enjoy comparable access to public services and opportunities, regardless of their municipality size. (Attribution: Regional governance studies, contemporary political analysis.)