The exchange centers on tensions within Alicante’s municipal socialist group, with key figures including the mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, and Miguel Millana, the general secretary of the Alicante PSOE, as the crisis unfolds after moves within the socialist group raised questions about leadership and resignations. Initially, there was a period when the public saw little of the internal debate following a health issue, while calls grew for greater seriousness and respect toward the City Council. The response from the socialist side was sharp, accusing the public body of lacking ethics and vision, and questioning the standards expected from public policy makers.
Sanguino served as the socialist spokesman and later expelled another Franco-aligned mayor from the Housing Board.
Barcala pressed for greater seriousness and respect toward the City Council and the municipal institution they represent from the Socialist Party and the municipal group this Friday. The opposition has been in turmoil for a week. Barcala noted that he had observed a period of quiet on internal socialist matters, yet the ongoing discord was harming the image of the council’s seriousness. He added that it was appropriate to insist that the institution not be used for constant strategic point-scoring.
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Barcala pointed to commissions and boards of joint ventures within which the consortium participates, highlighting that changes are being made after a request from a spokesperson who claimed they would resign but later said they would not. He criticized the PSOE for inaction, arguing that such stagnation fuels growing confusion every day.
“I’m asking President Puig not to wash his hands and not sweep this under the rug, because at this stage the scandal does not tolerate such evasions by some councilors who should face the facts.”
The mayor urged Alicante residents to consider what their socialist representatives are doing and to reflect on whether their actions meet the responsibilities of public office. He encouraged them to question whether those in public service are acting in a way that earns trust from the people they serve.
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The mayor added, “I’m asking Mayor Puig to think carefully, to avoid easy shortcuts, and not to shift blame, because at this point in the scandal the common sense of some councilors has been tested. I call for a clear decision to end the ongoing demonstration by party members in Alicante and to halt the internal strife once and for all.”
“My recommendation to the mayor is not to exploit any personal disputes within the socialist municipal group in a manner that undermines integrity, because there is a level of unity within the PSOE that deserves respect.”
Millana, speaking on behalf of the Alicante PSOE, noted that Barcala’s political posture—shifting toward a more adversarial stance—must be checked. He asserted that Barcala should refrain from exploiting internal discord for partisan gain and from presenting an image of the party that could undermine the collective political life of the city. Millana stressed that there is a harmony within the PSOE that should be valued, contrasting it with the perception of the opposing party as an entourage without a cohesive internal network.
Millana urged Barcala to avoid giving the impression that the city’s leadership can be manipulated for political advantage, emphasizing that the mayor should maintain a level of professional conduct and not allow the public office to be pulled into partisan wrangling.