The alliance between Podemos and Esquerra Unida will materialize at the regional level and in tandem across the country’s fifty municipalities. The Valencian Community faces a challenging start. The distribution of spots on the lists has sparked disagreements at various points, including in Alicante. Manolo Copé, based in the United States, tops the list in the state capital, while Xavier López, his current spokesperson in the city council, will be second on the slate, which will be led by two coordinators.
Complaint
This move did not sit well inside the party, signaling a push back against an imposed arrangement in regional and state level negotiations. López expressed support for Copé as the alliance candidate for mayor, stating, “I’m backing the nomination, we have a strong candidate.” The reaction from other parts of the purple formation in Alicante was not so favorable. Two resignations have already occurred, including Organization Secretary Pedro Domínguez and Environmental Officer Cati Cifuentes, with more departures anticipated in the coming days.
Podemos and EU reissue their agreement amid disagreements over Sumar and Alicante
“The negotiations extended beyond the Alicante region and caused unease among local leaders who believed such a decision should consider Alicante’s position,” López noted. He learned on Tuesday that he would not lead the nomination. “The procedures were not proper.” The city council’s Podemos spokesperson reiterated support for Copé and indicated plans for more forces, such as Esquerra Republica, to join in the coming days. “We cannot lose a single staged ballot; we want to build a tool that serves as leverage for change,” he stated.
Presentation
The Alicante resignations coincided with Valencia’s official announcement that Podemos and Esquerra Unida will run together in the regional elections on May 28, with Héctor Illueca nominated for Generalitat Presidency. The top positions in the list for Alicante province were defined. The slate will be led by María Teresa Pérez, followed by Estefanía Blanes and Álex Aguilar. Thus, the first position goes to Podemos and the second to Lleusa Usa.
Illueca, during his appearance in Valencia, hinted at opening to a broader alliance for the general elections, given frustration with the regional alignment. He suggested it could be opportunistic to gather support there while dividing it here, addressing concerns about the timing of alliances. Locally, López criticized what he called a lack of clarity from Valencian partners, arguing that Comromís’s involvement in Sumar did not align with Alicante and the Valencian Community’s broader strategy. He warned that such misalignment could weaken the transformative efforts.
Illueca as nominee and Pérez Garijo as the second nominee
Podemos and Esquerra Unida met on Wednesday to discuss the regional elections on May 28. Héctor Illueca, the Generalitat’s second vice president from Podemos, will head the ticket. Rosa Pérez Garijo, the Transparency Minister, will be number two. She appeared alongside Pilar Lima, Alcoy deputy in the Cortes Estefanía Blanes (EU) and a representative of the Unides Podem bloc in the autonomous Parliament, both of whom will occupy the second spot on the Alicante province list. The bilateral alliance will be mirrored in the three provincial capitals and across fifty municipalities, with the remaining thirty municipalities joining other formations.