Jose Manuel Orengo, a veteran former socialist figure who now dwells in Baleària’s orbit as a political exile, recently outlined a campaign approach that centers on a single guiding question. The core theme of any electoral effort, he suggested, must revolve around identifying the voters’ central issue. Pinpointing the problem stands as the essential first step, and it may even be enough to propel a bid toward victory.
As regional elections approach in the Community of Valencia, scheduled for the last Sunday of May alongside municipal polls, the People’s Party (PP) has framed its inquiry to voters with a direct line: “Do you want Sánchez out of the Government?” Carlos Mazón, the PP candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat, had already signaled this strategy earlier in the month when Ximo Puig accepted the dissolution of the Valencia Corts, setting Valencia up as a prelude to a broader national shift. Mazón, in that moment, asserted that to alter the national government, one must first reform the Generalitat. Replacing Sánchez and Feijóo, he argued, begins with a vote in Valencia that would push for national change to follow. Puig, he implied, would be the beneficiary or the obstacle depending on the voter’s preference for a broader shift. Mazón thus tied the regional contest to the national political panorama, declaring, “Today change begins in the Valencian Community and in Spain.” The rhetoric also echoed a thread seen in other campaigns, where the ballot could signal whether voters are aligned with the national leadership changes or not, with Vox entering the conversation as a cross-cutting factor in the argument.
The simple, closed nature of Mazón’s question carries obvious advantages. It is crisp, easy to repeat, and seemingly binary: yes or no. Yet the PP leader is aware of the risk that the regional race might be reduced to a mere waypoint on the road to December’s national elections. There is a tension here: Puig’s insistence on Valencian autonomy and identity, exemplified by the claim that value and history belong to Valencia alone, risks underscoring the distance between regional governance and national power. The analysis suggests that Mazón is balancing a national message with a regional appeal, arguing that replacing the national government hinges on a change at the Valencian helm, while Puig frames the situation as an opportunity to defend Valencia’s unique governance and identity. The confrontation appears to be about more than governance; it is read as a clash over who should lead the country and how the Valencian community fits within that vision.
Nonetheless, Mazón’s strategy is recognized as clever and potentially fruitful. If the Socialist Party of the Valencian Community (PSPV) positions the contest as a choice between Mazón and Puig, Mazón’s method aims to disrupt that framing by prompting voters to consider a broader question: Do you prefer Feijóo or Sánchez? In other words, if the answer is a rejection of Sánchez, voting for Puig might look less appealing, nudging support toward Mazón and his allies. The strategic move is to recast the regional elections as a de facto referendum on national leadership rather than a simple local mandate.
Yet the Puig camp faces a more intricate problem, since the question now is whether the electorate believes the council led by Ximo Puig is effectively governing the community and deserving another term. The problem is not a clean yes-or-no, and a voter could answer affirmatively about governance quality and still choose change. The campaign thus risks presenting an ambiguous choice, where support for the current administration and a desire for change can coexist in a single vote. The result is a nuanced dynamic: voters might appreciate effective management while still wanting a national shift, which complicates the electoral mathematics for Puig and his allies.
Another challenge is the need to “encapsulate” Valencia within a broader national frame, a term used by a colleague to describe isolating the regional story from Madrid’s influence. Madrid is not only a political gravity well; it also serves as a reference point for every campaign, especially those pitched against a unified national opposition. Mazón faces a landscape where alliances and rivalries stretch across the country. His alignment with or against various parties—Esquerra Unida, Podemos, Compromís, Sumar, and even Vox—reflects the complex tapestry of Valencian and national politics. The campaign’s messaging must balance local concerns with national currents, a delicate task as some partners may push for different strategic emphases. The contention also extends to how Podemos and other left-wing components are portrayed, given their recent political trajectories and the evolving alliances on the left. The result could influence the December elections, where the national government’s fate is at stake. For now, the focus remains on mobilizing supporters and shaping the conversation around who should lead, and at what level, rather than on a single policy issue.
In short, management has been Puig’s refrain—stressed, defended, and tested. He has shown consistency in handling people and tasks since assuming the presidency, resisting dogmas while navigating setbacks. Yet the structural strain within his party has become visible as the coalition’s internal cohesion shows signs of wear. Mazón’s early campaign surge—symbolized by smile-forward campaign imagery—made the initial question simple and direct, prompting voters to decide not only whether they want continued governance but whether the PP should return to power nationally. The dynamic remains unsettled, with the Valencian electorate poised to influence a larger political trajectory and determine whether local results will translate into momentum for national change.