There has been notable reshuffling within the PSPV-PSOE presence in the Alicante Provincial Council. Two of the four Socialist advisers will depart. The exiting figures are Gerard Ortiz and Juan Antonio Nieves. Provincial leadership sources describe the departures as being for “professional reasons.” Sandra Martín, a former Valencian Cortes member, and Gema Fos, a councilor in Elche, will replace them in the state institution.
This move did not escape notice among Alicante’s Socialists. Critics say the maneuver by the provincial secretary, Alejandro Soler, signals control over the Provincial Assembly group by placing two aligned figures among the advisers. While some within the team defended Soler’s approach and highlighted the contributions of the Alicante representative in recent years, the appointments, particularly Martín’s, sparked discomfort.
Angel Franco
The individual newly designated as the Socialist adviser to the State Assembly was previously close to former senator Ángel Franco. Alignment shifted during the party’s national congress, when he distanced himself from Franco and aligned with Soler’s faction. Martín currently serves as deputy state secretary of the PSPV and sits on the Federal Committee, underscoring his influence at the national level. He was a Cortes deputy in the last two legislatures under Botànic governments, but he was not included on the regional list this year.
Martín’s supporters argue that his career record supports him becoming the new adviser to the Socialist group in the State Assembly, given his experience as a regional deputy in the last two terms. Yet that did not translate into a seat on the Alicante regional list. On May 28, a new electoral cycle began for the Valencian Community with the People’s Party gaining traction. Martín’s backers also criticize the claim that Puig’s independent profiles led to his exclusion from lists such as Alicante’s.
The appointment of Gema Fos as an advisor for Elche’s Provincial Assembly also drew attention. Fos, part of the city’s Socialist group, sits in opposition after eight years in power in Elche. She was listed in the PSOE slate for the elections announced on May 28, occupying the tenth position. Her move to the city came three years ago after resigning as second deputy mayor in Altura, Castellón, to relocate.
To wake up
The ongoing changes among the Provincial Assembly advisers reflect the shifts that followed the 28M results for the provincial Socialists. One prominent example is former councilwoman Josefina Bueno, who topped Alicante’s list in the regional elections and stepped away from the Cortes to focus on academic commitments. In Alicante, tensions appear to pit Franco against the municipal speaker in the City Council, Ana Barceló, culminating in local leadership centralizing consultant allocation and seeking guidance from the Federal Guarantee Commission.
Regarding the provincial advisers, the Socialists currently count four members, with Alejandro Luengo acting as group coordinator. The total number of trusted positions in the provincial institution stands at 29: six in the Presidency, ten in regional offices, two as vice presidents, five within the public group, four allocated to PSPV, one to Compromís, and another to Vox.