In the Alicante province, the PSPV-PSOE is experiencing a pronounced internal rift between two clearly defined camps: those aligned with Ximo Puig, the PSPV general secretary and Consell president, and those backing state secretary general Alejandro Soler from Elche. Over the past year, a series of incidents has underscored the depth of this division among the socialists. As municipal elections approach, the prospect of pre-election primaries in several large municipalities to determine the party’s lists only sharpens the fault lines among colleagues.
Even at a glance, the arithmetic mirrors the split. A recent PSPV ballot earlier this year shows Soler edging the ximista faction. The tally was close, with 149 more votes for Soler overall, as Toni Frances – the Alcoy mayor and city council spokesperson – led the ximista side, though Soler gained 2,629 votes against Frances’s 2,480 ballots.
The Sanchistas read Puig’s mood in Alicante and push Adsuar for mayor
The gap between the factions has already prompted talk of primaries in five major towns: Alicante, Elche, Benidorm, Orihuela, and La Vila Joiosa. When Ferraz signaled last August that mayors overseeing towns with populations above 20,000 could spearhead next year’s municipal lists, it appeared to favor incumbents in several places, including Alcoy, Elda, Elche, Orihuela, and La Vila. Yet in the latter three cases, as in other regions, adherents to the directive issued under Pedro Sánchez’s leadership remains in question. The Alexandria region did not close the door on challenging the three ximista councilors – Carlos González, Carolina Gracia, and Andreu Verdú – and thus potentially reshaping Puig’s Valencian leadership. Such moves could pave the way for primaries under Sánchez’s guidance.
ALICANTE
Taking the initiative in the capital, Puig, a former Health minister and former Sax mayor who briefly stood as a trustee candidate in Parliament, seemed to be the early focal point. Soon after, the sanchistas signaled their intention to run in the primaries behind former mayor Maria Jose Adsuar as their candidate. Rather than shelving the idea of a trusted party figure who did not appear certain to gain broad support, critics aim to measure the group’s strength against the established power of former senator Ángel Franco and, incidentally, to bolster influence on the party list.
ELCHE
In Elche, the mayor, Carlos González, is expected to return to the top of the list in line with Ferraz’s instruction. Yet Organizing Secretary Mariano Valera has requested the PSPV-PSOE leadership to permit a challenger to run against the sitting councillor. Soler maintains tight control over the Elche group, and González remains not fully aligned with him, though a primary contest seems unlikely. The potential primaries could nevertheless destabilize the leadership and embolden the Alexandria faction to seize greater control of the list.
BENIDORM
In the Costa Blanca’s tourist hotspot, the race for the top of the list is officially underway. Ruben Martínez, the party’s spokesperson, is seen as the leading challenger to the general secretary in the primaries, while Christina Escoda has declared her intention to vie for the top spot on another day. The municipal spokesperson had already led the socialist slate in the 2019 elections, setting the stage for a potentially open primary process this time around.
ORIHUELA
This year, after the capital’s ascent to the Vega Baja mayor’s office via a no-confidence motion, the current mayor, Caroline Gracia, should also be safeguarded. Anthony Zapata, a Soler ally in the provincial administration, has not ruled out entering the primaries. The rift between councilor Gracia and the former mayor is well known, and the transition from former to current officeholder presents a different scenario than a few months ago.
VILLA JOIOSA
The prospect of an alternative to the current mayor emerged in La Vila Joiosa with Andrea Verdú. In principle, however, with the local group secretary’s support, the council member was not obliged to participate in primaries. Isabella Perona, a contrasting figure, remains a potential rival. The shadow of the election will linger until next week, keeping the intra-party suspense alive.