The internal crisis within the Initiative, a core pillar of Compromís, continues to unfold. Losses tied to disagreements with the administration led by Aitana Mas and Alberto Ibáñez have grown since València city councillor Sergi Campillo took the first step. He was soon followed by Lluïsa Notario, a former councillor for the same City Council, and former top officials of the Botànic government, Dani Mestre and José del Lamo. The latest to enter this churn are Helena Ferrando and Mercé Martínez, also from the previous management, signaling their intent to move forward. In the same context, Alberto Ibáñez, a co-spokesperson for the Initiative, confirmed that the party’s roadmap will be preserved despite the mounting criticism. Veteran activists like Manuel Alcaraz suggest the turmoil traces back to a drift in autonomous governance.
The common rationale given by those leaving the Initiative to join Compromís is a shift in perspective influenced by the current political climate. Intense internal disagreements have spilled into public view. A new internal process has been announced to discuss how to participate in Compromís once again, described as the tenth round of such discussions, recalling that the previous congress moved toward a federation of parties.
Within this scenario, some militants describe the situation as “internal purges.” A sense of disillusionment with the current leadership exists among several party members. They accuse the leadership of failing to present a concrete proposal for how to integrate with Compromís and criticize what they see as a lack of decisive political action amid the ongoing debates.
Alberto Ibáñez: “For the compromise to be sustainable, the loss of trust between partners must be resolved”
Manuel Alcaraz, meanwhile, does not shy away from linking the current crisis to what he calls a “loss of power.” He argues that the entire Compromís has a fragile organizational framework. He suggests the problems began with the enterprise sector, seen as the smallest element, and warns that similar strains could spread to Més for comparable reasons. He also defends the current administration led by Mas and Ibáñez, insisting that the same dynamics would arise regardless of who held the leadership. For Alcaraz, the ideal future for Compromís would be a unified party with a clear policy platform and a strengthened organizational structure.
Ibáñez ultimately communicates that the same message is being sent to everyone who withdraws, emphasizing that many departures are viewed as self-serving. He notes that the roadmap, which around 85 percent of militants accepted, will continue to be debated in an internal process that is expected to culminate in February.