Nervous and exhausted by the flood of protests that mark the final stretch toward the 28M election campaign controversy in Alicante, activists and voters alike brace for the closing days. The path to the polls is slick with rain, and the candidates themselves step forward under umbrellas, looking to the sky for a break in the weather. In Alicante, the afternoon was notable for appearances by key figures from EU-Unidas Podemos and Vox, with Yolanda Díaz and Santiago Abascal among those seen in Las Cigarreras, near the town hall, as crowds pressed in around them.
All election discussions on INFORMACIÓNTV
Despite days of campaigning and the relentless push to win over the undecided, the candidates spoke with a level of candor about the challenges ahead and the roles their teams would play. A common question in the hours before the broadcast asked what each candidate believed the immediate future would hold in the run-up to the 28M vote. The atmosphere hinted at a race that was opening more than expected, with missteps shaping the conversation as much as any planned message. A voice from the waiting area asked, “Are we all here?” and a counterpart answered, “Minus one,” signaling the pressure and the stakes as the room prepared to go live.
Barcala declines to participate in INFORMACIÓNTV’s debate and election interview
In the spotlight was Luis Barcala, the PP mayoral candidate seeking re-election, who chose not to join the on-air discussion. His seat remained empty and his microphone left untouched. Yet his image still appeared on the broadcast after a piece of artwork shown by the Compromise candidate Rafa Mas displayed a portrait of the absent mayor. The decision drew sharp criticism from opposition groups, who argued that the absence undercut the integrity of the debate and left space for other voices to dominate the conversation. Citizens and commentators alike weighed in, with some beginning to cast the debate as a test of accountability and transparency.
The party lineup showed clear lines: the orange party pressed for more aggressive pacts, while EU-United We Can and Compromís argued for strategic coalitions that could maximize influence in a divided council. Vox suggested a more constrained approach, indicating that cooperation might be possible only with the party already aligned with the PP. Ana Barcelona, representing a Socialist stance, avoided leaning too far left or right, choosing instead to emphasize governance achievements under the Generalitat president and the re-election campaign of Ximo Puig. Against this backdrop, rivals like Carlos Mazo offered minimal comment, and Barcala’s absence left a notable gap in the discourse as the debate moved forward.