Deadline day arrived for the Alicante section of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party as it prepared to submit delegate slates for the Extraordinary Congress to be held in Benicàssim, a town in Castellón, from the 22nd to the 24th of this month. With the clock ticking toward midnight, the expectation was clear: two competing slates would likely go forward, barring an unexpected development. One slate is backed by the faction led by former senator Ángel Franco and his circle, the so‑called “sanchistas,” who have been at the center of notable clashes in recent years. The other slate represents a union of forces around Ana Barceló, the current spokesperson of the PSPV in Alicante and the group’s president, together with Eva Montesinos, the local organization’s former secretary, who also serves as vice‑secretary. political monitoring
Reports indicate that the two sides reached a negotiation that would shape the candidate list for the Alicante grouping. The critical demands from the segment that has opposed the longtime control by the ex-senator revolve around having former councilwoman Maria Jose Adusar at the top of the list. Within this faction, there is a belief that at most Miguel Millana, aligned with Franco, should occupy the number-one spot given his position as general secretary, but no other socialist would be accorded such top billing. This is the essence of the ongoing bargaining as the deadline approached. political monitoring
The second major condition advanced by the “sanchistas” focuses on the distribution of leadership slots. They insist that 30 percent of the places be reserved for them and that those seats should begin at the top of the list. If Adusar is the leading candidate, they want the odd-numbered positions to fill their share. If Barceló occupies the top slot, they want the even-numbered positions to carry their representation. Representatives from this faction stress that their aim is to prevent any last‑minute reshuffling by Franco that could push fringe candidates onto the list. They fear that an unfavorable arrangement might threaten the 20 percent minimum threshold that Barceló and Montesinos would need to win several of the 24 delegates Alicante will send to Benicàssim after the latest census adjustment expanded their delegation. If their demands are not met, they say they will consider every possible scenario during today’s vote, and given the PSOE’s long history in Alicante, it would not be surprising if negotiations collapsed in the final hours. political monitoring
On the other side, the “franquistas” are pressing for unity and a single, unified candidacy. Their position is to persuade Barceló and Montesinos to refrain from presenting an alternative list. To that end, Miguel Millana is scheduled to meet with the municipal spokesperson, though Barceló and the second in the party leadership remain determined to stand their ground and carry forward their plan for a contest. political monitoring