Across the inland stretches that once felt like quiet backwaters, a new political energy has taken shape. Independent groups are gaining ground in the Alicante province, echoing a broader protest mood that emerged in other parts of Spain. In the most recent elections, these citizen-led lists secured control of 11 municipalities, signaling a shift away from traditional party lines and toward local, practical governance that reflects the needs of small communities.
Movements such as Teruel Existe and Soria Ya have highlighted the challenges facing remote areas, from service gaps to limited communications. The same concerns appear in Alicante’s highlands: small populations, long-standing neglect, and a determination to push for change outside the conventional party system. The election results show a clear pattern, with 11 independent groups taking the helm in their towns for a four-year term. The municipalities are Alfafara, Benimeli, Castell de Castells, L Atzúbia, Parcent, Sagra, Sanet i Negrals, Sella, Senija, Tárbena, and Vall de Gallinera, marking an increase from the prior cycle and underscoring a local appetite for new perspectives in governance.
The leadership in Sagra, under Gent pel Canvi, will continue to be guided by Maria Teresa Roselló after she secured six council seats. Her party won decisively against the PP in this cycle. While a broader agreement among other groups limited her formal governing power, Roselló’s path to the post began eight years ago when she ran with PSPV. The 2023 results reflect a turnover toward independent candidacies and a shift that helped secure Sagra for a second term.
Roselló describes the core appeal as a response to the difficulty of finding volunteers willing to join party lists who do not want to be subsumed by acronyms. She emphasizes that the group maintains a left-leaning core and notes the absence of competing Socialist lists this time around, a factor she believes boosted support and contributed to adding two council seats compared with the previous term. The experience, she says, strengthens the case to stay with Gent pel Canvi and to aim for better outcomes in the years ahead.
For many on her list, independence was about staying true to local realities rather than chasing party discipline. Some supporters argue that running as independents offers agility to address issues more directly. Roselló stresses that independent governance is meant to empower residents to shape projects that matter to their communities, turning civic energy into tangible results for residents who deserve practical solutions.
When it comes to funding, the conversation has centered on subsidies from the Provincial General Assembly. Supporters argue these funds have not posed barriers in recent years. Roselló mentions that past perceptions of favoritism belong to a bygone era and recalls that she could secure what was needed without relying on narrow political leverage.
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Alfafara also shows a continued push for local leadership, with Toni Cloquell of Gent x Alfafara maintaining the mayoralty after receiving the same vote tally as four years ago, with 170 ballots. The town council now includes five councilors from this group, compared with two for Compromís. Cloquell explains that their first run four years earlier aimed to unite people who truly understood the town’s realities and to resist the arrival of outside lists that could dilute local influence. The independence of their group is seen as a path to greater freedom since party discipline in larger coalitions can limit what a council believes is necessary. The trust the electorate places in reliable, local figures is evident, and the support in consecutive elections reinforces that belief.
Looking at the broader scene, results among smaller electorates reveal a nuanced landscape. The PP emerged with the most victories, gaining control in twenty municipalities including Agres, Almudaina, Benasau, Benifallim, Benifato, Benillup, Benimarfull, Benimassot, Bolulla, Camp de Mirra, Confrides, Castell de Guadalest, Famorca, L Orxa, Lliber, Murla, Planes, Tollos, Tormos, and Torre de les Macanes. This spread shows continued local support for center-right options. PSPV secured a presence in eleven towns—Alcoleja, Balones, Beniardà, Benigembla, Benimantell, Fageca, Gorga, lAlqueria dAsnar, Vall dAlcalà, Millena, Penàguila, and Quatretondeta. Other municipalities elected smaller delegations, including two seats in several towns such as Daya Vieja, El Ràfol dAlmúnia, Gaianes, Vall dAlcoià, and Vall de Laguar, revealing a diverse, multi-party mosaic in these provincial elections.