In Alicante, tensions rise as the PSPV-PSOE prepares for the city’s upcoming municipal elections. The heat centers on the party’s internal process, the selection of a mayoral candidate for next year, with the vote scheduled for Sunday the sixteenth. The candidate favored by the faction aligned with Ximistas is pursuing a thorough internal process, while the rival bloc led by Alejandro Soler, the secretary general of the Alicante Socialists, and Maria Jose Adsuar, a prominent figure within the Barcelona-influenced camp, faces scrutiny. Within the Socialist ranks, a sense of urgency and friction is evident. The former mayor publicly accused the Valencian Community president Ximo Puig of bearing responsibility for criticisms directed at the province of Alicante related to the General State Budgets. The claim centers on the management of funds and accountability for investments allocated to the region.
In a prior interview with Radio Alicante-Cadena Ser before the Thursday debate featuring Adsuar and Barceló, the former mayor asserted that the matter needed to be addressed directly. He emphasized the importance of identifying who is responsible for the complaints tied to the government accounts. When asked about the involvement of top regional authorities, he indicated that the president of the Valencian Community and the head of the Consell were part of the broader discussion. He underscored that investments in the province must be spent prudently; if funds are left unused, they would return to Valencia rather than benefiting Alicante.
Ana Barceló has presented herself as offering robust support within the PSPV pre-selections in Alicante. The Puig-led circle has not shied away from defending its position and has suggested that the statements from Adsuar and others were ill-timed, arguing that such public remarks could complicate the party’s unity. The internal rift comes at a delicate moment as the party contends with broader regional dynamics ahead of the 2023 regional elections and the upcoming city elections. The focus remains on how to address long-standing concerns about provincial investments and the distribution of budget resources between Alicante and the Valencian Community capital.
From Barceló’s perspective, the path forward involves a clear strategy to reverse a situation that is perceived as lacking justification. Barceló, a former Health Minister and current socialist trustee in the Valencian Parliament, is seen as the candidate with broad support from Alicante’s major factional group. She has spoken about the General State Budgets and the importance of clarity on the issue of investments, framing the debate around accountability and the fair treatment of Alicante in regional fiscal planning. She stressed the need for changes that would rectify the current conditions and restore trust in the governance process, outlining a plan to address both public sentiment and the financial mechanics behind provincial budgets.
The internal dynamics within the PSPV have made the primaries appear markedly uneven. Barceló’s candidacy is widely viewed as the frontrunner, backed by the majority of the Alicante faction. The surrounding chatter reflects a broader anxiety about provincial investments and how they are negotiated between local communities and the central government. The overarching concern is to ensure that Alicante no longer lags in budgetary allocations and that the city receives a fair portion of national funds designated for regional development. The discourse continues to revolve around accountability, transparency, and the concrete steps needed to advance investment in the province.
Ultimately, the Alicante mayoral race and the PSPV primaries now hinge on unity and execution. Party leaders are pushing to consolidate support, while tradeoffs and strategic pledges are under intense scrutiny. The aim is not just to identify a candidate who can win the next election, but to present a coherent program that addresses the historical disparities in provincial funding and demonstrates the party’s commitment to responsible governance. The debate, though heated, is framed as a crucial moment for the province to reassert its interests within the Valencian Community and Spain at large. The outcome of the primaries will influence how the party engages with regional authorities and how it positions itself in the broader electoral landscape for the coming year, seeking to balance local needs with the wider political agenda of the PSPV-PSOE.