In the lead up to the 2023 municipal elections, Ciudadanos has been activating its electoral machinery with cautious eyes on a shifting landscape. Under the direction of Inés Arrimadas, the party unveiled a slate of candidates for the forthcoming local races scheduled for May 28. The move comes amid a climate of renewal within the orange formation, and a level of uncertainty about the final makeup of the candidate lists and the party’s territorial strength. Recent public opinion veered toward a downturn in expectations, including a poll published on October 9 by a major national outlet that suggested serious difficulties for Cs, potentially threatening even its representation in the Valencian Parliament. Within the initial roster of candidates, several municipalities with significant influence reportedly opposed the national leadership, signaling a notable rift at the local level that could resonate across the region. These developments mark a moment of heightened tension as the party navigates the balance between local autonomy and centralized command, with the provincial capital among the locations cited as a focal point of dissent.
The Cs autonomous committee in the Community of Valencia, at its most recent gathering, proposed the first candidates to lead the liberal list for the 2023 municipal elections in the provinces of Alicante, Castellón, and Valencia. Specifically in the province of Alicante, the candidate slate includes:
Castalla features Antonio Joaquin Bernabeu; Benejúzar lists Rosa García; Sant Joan d Alacant presents Santiago Román; Albatera heads with Domingo Francisco Guillem; Aspe fields Miguel Ángel Mateo; El Campello nominates Julio Jan; Denia names Susana Mut; Cocentaina nominates Miriam Rodrigo; Sant Vicent del Raspeig lists Jordi Roig; and San Miguel de Salinas appoints María José Costa.
These appointments arrived at a moment when the Permanent Administrator in Madrid still needed formal confirmation. The timing coincided with a broader wave of calls for leadership changes within the party across the province. More than twenty positions in Alicante reportedly demanded Arrimadas’s resignation as part of a rebellion by local critics who argued for a new direction at the top. The movement united a number of individuals who had been excluded from the 2023 candidacy process and who pressed for the removal of the national executive committee, including María Muñoz, the party coordinator for the Valencian Community. In the province, notable figures such as the deputy mayor in Alicante and the spokesperson at the Diputación participated in this broader push. Mari Carmen Sánchez, a prominent local leader, and Xavier Gutiérrez, a key provincial spokesperson, were among those who joined the uprising, signaling a serious internal fracture that could influence the party’s regional performance ahead of the local elections.
The rebellion extended beyond a handful of veterans. Several other councilors and local leaders across Alicante joined the movement against Arrimadas. Among them were Antonio Manresa and Maria Conejero, who had served as part of the provincial council’s leadership during the crisis. The campaign structure in the province also included Miguel Ángel Sánchez and César Martínez, who held positions in l Alfas del Pi and the General Council, respectively. Councilors from Xixona, San Vicente del Raspeig, and others tied to different municipalities also aligned with the dissident faction. The wave reached into town halls and municipal halls across the region, and it attracted a diverse group of local officials seeking more autonomy in the Cs approach to municipal governance. In several communities, mayors and councilors who felt sidelined by the national strategy expressed their discontent publicly, signaling a potential reshaping of alliances and priorities within the party as election day approaches.
The rifts within Cs have exposed a broader conversation about how the party positions itself in a competitive political environment where local issues and national branding collide. Observers note that the success of the Valencia delegation in the 2023 elections could hinge on the ability of local leaders to present credible, locally resonant platforms while managing expectations about the national leadership. The situation underscores the delicate balance between maintaining a cohesive national line and empowering regional chapters to tailor messages that reflect local concerns. As candidates are confirmed and the campaign unfolds, Cs faces the challenge of converting internal realignments into a voters’ mandate that translates into tangible local governance and meaningful representation across Alicante, Castellón, and Valencia.
In particular, the province of Alicante stands at a crossroads. The announced candidacies and the internal backlash together frame a narrative where party unity may be tested in towns such as Castalla, Denia, and Sant Vicent del Raspeig. Analysts expect a campaign that will stress issues like municipal services, transparency, and citizen engagement, while also grappling with broader questions about leadership, strategy, and accountability within the Cs framework. The coming weeks will reveal how the party negotiates these tensions and whether the provinces will rally behind a revised vision that aligns local ambitions with a national revival, or whether the fissures will deepen and hinder electoral prospects across the Valencian Community. The dialogue between local autonomy and centralized strategy will be pivotal as voters weigh which direction best serves their municipalities and their broader civic priorities. These dynamics will continue to unfold ahead of the May 28 municipal elections, with canvassing, candidate forums, and policy debates shaping the public narrative and influencing the eventual distribution of seats across the region.