Amid the usual partisan noise, stalled agreements to renew constitutional bodies, and the strain of external events that echo past moments in other countries, politics can feel like a whirlwind that fuels polarization. Yet the Professor Manuel Broseta Foundation’s XXXI Coexistence Award ceremony, held yesterday, offered a different message: hope for constructive politics that seeks common ground.
The proclamation delivered by a representative of this year’s winners, the draft commission of the Valencian Community Autonomy Statute, framed politics as a mechanism to guarantee coexistence. The event drew notable figures, including Ximo Puig and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, at the Palau de la Generalitat, underscoring a call for politics to serve as a problem-solving force and a warning to public representatives about the stakes at hand.
In celebration of the jury’s 40th anniversary, the prize for this edition honored those who uphold the core regional standard for Valencians. A voice from the stage recalled the path to the Autonomy Law, noting the obstacles posed by resistance from various segments of society at the time. Still, the speech highlighted how negotiated dialogue led to a broad agreement among the principal political forces, turning the regional framework into a model that supports coexistence.
The winners’ representative, along with regional leaders, infused their remarks with calls for the State of Autonomies to be strengthened and for democracy to be anchored in harmony, unity, and shared values. Their words echoed through subsequent remarks by Ximo Puig and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who stressed the commission’s role in promoting coexistence and using it as a foundation for a more stable democratic framework.
Flower presentation and souvenirs
In his remarks, Puig urged a reduction in tension and a shift toward greater cooperation, arguing that regional coexistence depends on steady progress and inclusive dialogue. The Consell’s president warned against fanaticism and populism, emphasizing the need for consensus to prevent a darkening horizon and to shield coexistence through equality.
Feijóo, who chairs the jury and leads the main opposition party, spoke about honoring the memory of those who fought to shape today’s Spain, including Manuel Broseta. He noted that the dedication of the committee that drafted the Charter, along with Broseta, contributed to Spain’s status as one of the most decentralized states in Europe today.
Earlier in the day, the two political leaders, joined by other regional figures, gathered for the flower presentation at the jurist’s monument on Avenida Blasco Ibáñez in Valencia to mark the thirtieth anniversary of his murder by ETA. One of Broseta’s sons urged current leaders to strive for pact and harmony in governing the future, just as was done four decades ago, encouraging a renewed commitment to cooperation over division.