With no regrets. This Monday began with renewed resolve as United Left and We Can Alicante respond to the call for a general election set for July 23. The news arrived just hours after a councilor’s departure from the state capital, leaving only 210 votes short of eliminating the general assembly there.
ERPV and Green Alliance formed a coalition that earned 5.02% of the votes on election day, just barely clearing the threshold for municipal representation. Unides Podem’s successor also saw a councilor lose a seat, securing only one mayoral post. A disappointing outcome, according to Manolo Copé who described the result as not merely uncomfortable but rather lackluster after the review.
Manolo Copé (UP): “Without relief in Alicante, the outcome is poor”
Election night revealed clear unease. The party held on to a representative until the final moments, but the call for leadership change loomed. Insiders from United Left suggested that if representation is dropped, stepping aside could help reframe discussions and create space for a fresh start.
Yet that slender 0.02% translated into just over 200 votes, providing a moment of reprieve. After four years outside the municipal group, Copé is poised to return as mayor in Alicante’s City Council. He preserves a key strategic move despite a drop of more than 20,000 votes from 2015 when Izquierda Unida last had councilors alongside Guanyar Alicante.
AB-Unidas Podemos protest: “We deserve a better Alicante”
Podemos’s representatives in the coalition faced a different fate. Xavi Lopez and Vanessa Romero, who led the party since 2019 and became mayors during the period, will not repeat as council members in the upcoming elections. Lopez and Romero ranked first and second in 2019 and will not reprise those top slots.
They would face a tough vote if Barcala offered a full advisory appointment to the group. The question then became who would occupy the 50% share allocated to Podemos under the coalition agreement. No candidate had been chosen yet, according to sources close to the talks.
Inconvenience for Podemos
The Podemos faction could not hide their discontent as the purple ranks limited the field of nominees. On election night, the line of candidates made the leadership shift evident. López, expected to top the list again, faced pressure to share leadership responsibilities with Copé. Podemos councillors in Valencia argued that the municipal formation should wield greater influence.
For the nation, Botànic’s decline marks a setback for the state’s social gains. A leading government with rights has faltered. In Podemos’s broader strategy, PV’s role as a transformative force appears increasingly peripheral in Cortes and city councils.
— Xavier López — (Tweet published May 28, 2023)
Currently, the spokesperson remains in place until the municipal general assembly dissolves, issuing a reflective note on social media. He thanked militants for their responsibility while noting decisions were made without their consent. Regarding Botànic’s fall, López warned that without a strong municipal base, maintaining autonomy becomes harder.
In López’s initial assessment, self-scrutiny extends beyond the vote tally, hinting at a broader role as a force for transformation.
General secretary of Podemos Alicante has consolidated party power in recent years, leading both the party and the municipal group in the provincial capital. He suggested resignation as the situation grows more complex following Pedro Sánchez’s call for a general election on June 23.
This development opens a new chapter of mystery for the city. Time for reflection seems scarce. Neither Podemos nor Esquerra Unida is eager to put their names forward, but the true heavyweights within Unides Podem remain in the wings.
For Alicante, United wraps up campaign aiming for a third council seat
This remains the vice president’s position so far. Hector Illuca, the Minister of Transparency, Rosa Perez Garijo, Podem’s regional leader, and Pilar Lima are all seeking a seat in a tighter political arena. They barely crossed the 3.5% threshold within the region.