The final vote tallies will shape how coalition forces sit in provincial municipalities, with tight results capable of tipping control from one side to the other. This is visible in Crevillent, Orxeta, and El Ràfol d’Almúnia, as well as Alcoy where a party claimed victory. The PSPV aims to gain one more district MP.
Following last Sunday’s balloting, nearly a hundred city councils enter debates among competing groups, while others have already published detailed vote counts that could confirm or adjust the governing color. The clearest example by size is Crevillent, where analysts have tracked projections since election night and updated them as fresh data arrived.
Early returns suggest a corridor of power shaped by PP and Vox, yet the left remains hopeful about maintaining leadership in the council. For that to happen, Compromís, represented by Acord per Guanyar, would need 14 additional votes, allowing another councilor to join the nationalist bloc at Vox’s expense. In that scenario, Valencianists would hold nine seats, the PP eight, and Vox and PSPV would each have two.
Even though the landscape is intricate, it is not out of reach. This week each district electoral board will recount votes cast last Sunday and also include ballots from residents registered within the municipality as well as those living abroad indirectly.
The current mayor, José Manuel Penalva, announced plans to step down after results came in, though he indicated on Tuesday that the decision could be reconsidered if the final tally would allow him to retain control.
Elsewhere in the province, small variances hint at further shifts. Orxeta, for instance, shows PP ahead of PSPV by a margin of just three votes, translating to four councilors for the PP and three for PSPV. El Ràfol d’Almúnia mirrors this narrow gap with a similar seat distribution, but with Compromís in first place, followed by the PP.
Attention will also turn to Alcoy where PSPV, led by Toni Francés, won by a slender 23 votes. A late shift in favor of the people would not only secure victory but also add a PSPV councilor. This hypothetical change would not necessarily alter the governing color, as PSPV could hold steady numbers if an agreement with Compromís and Guanyar Alcoi materializes.
Reviewing minutes and international ballots could also boost PSPV’s prospects for an autonomous MP at the national level. To reach this goal, they would need a meaningful increase in provincial preferences, potentially securing 12 seats at Vox’s expense. Nonetheless, Óscar Mengual, head of the Socialist legal team, cautions that this outcome remains unlikely and that residents abroad must begin voting at consulates well in advance, which could still yield unexpected results.
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The Marina Alta contest: Compromís risks its council presence, while the PP could lose a seat
Compromís filed a formal complaint this Tuesday with the Dénia electoral board after the Interior Ministry did not assign a spot in the Provincial General Assembly. The official results page shows two PP seats and one PSPV seat in Marina Alta, despite local supporters insisting there is sufficient backing. Gerard Fullana, an MP for Compromís, explained that officials acknowledged a mistake during the meeting and advised filing a document to enable correction. With this step, the PP would shed an MP, yet retain a clear majority in the provincial party apparatus.
Analysts note that the changes being contemplated hinge on meticulous recounts and potential corrections that could ripple through local power dynamics. The broader narrative remains that coalitions and cross-party agreements will determine who governs these municipalities in the weeks ahead. A final arrangement may emerge only after all votes are validated and any international ballots are accounted for, a process watched closely by residents and political observers alike. [Citation: Local electoral authorities and regional press reports]