Five times out of ten, the path from an interior ministerial role to a broader political stage reveals how personal history intersects with public service. In Alicante, the ten months spent within the Ministry of Innovation and Universities of the Generalitat Valenciana formed the backdrop for a morning forum led by Josefina Bueno. The event, a breakfast colloquium, positioned Bueno at the forefront of the regional list that the PSPV-PSOE plans to present for the province in the regional elections scheduled for May 28. She opened by grounding her audience in her own origins, then recounted the motivations that pushed her toward politics, a journey that saw her serve as a senator before taking the helm as a minister on May 14. The discussion moved on to reflect on the tangible milestones associated with her tenure, including the Digital District, the City of Light initiative, the aging-focused Center for Aging, and the Vega Renhace Plan, milestones that illustrate a commitment to modernizing and revitalizing Alicante’s public life.
Josefina Bueno, who oversees Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society, has emerged as the top candidate on the PSPV-PSOE’s regional slate for the forthcoming regional elections. The forum, titled Devotion to Alicante, framed her status as the leading figure within a party that seeks to emphasize continuity and progress in the region. During the session, the minister outlined the work accomplished in Alicante under the Generalitat leadership headed by Ximo Puig and outlined upcoming steps she and her team intend to highlight. The gathering, held at El Maestral restaurant, was organized by the Information Club and the Ministry of Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society and featured Marcela Fernández, president of the Alicante State Business Women’s Association, as the host. The forum was moderated by Toni Cabot, the director of the Information Club, who guided the conversation with a steady hand and clear focus on local impact.
Bueno stands as the sole socialist councilor from Alicante within the Puig government, a point that underscores her unique position in linking academic life with public leadership. Her professional journey began in earnest in 2015, with an earlier career as a professor of French Philology at the University of Alicante. She entered the political arena as a federal legislator in 2019 and now leads the regional slate, signaling a strategic emphasis on Alicante as a key battleground for the party. The campaign rhetoric centers on safeguarding the province’s political gains, with a pledge to replicate past successes from 2019 and to ensure that the Socialist Party remains the party with the most votes in the upcoming election. Bueno framed her remarks as a clear demonstration of intent for the period leading up to May 28, signaling a commitment to delivering results aligned with her government’s priorities for the province. In this sense, the upcoming electoral effort is presented as a continuation of a governing philosophy that prioritizes regional development, social progress, and an inclusive approach to modernization. The Ministry of Innovation and Universities, Science and Digital Society, which Bueno currently administers, has established its final headquarters in Casa de las Brujas in Alicante. The Generalitat President’s aim to pair this new project with the city underscores a belief that the city deserves a permanent, symbolic home after years of working from temporary locations and decentralization across four years. Bueno’s position atop PSPV’s regional list for the 28M reflects a strategic calculation, while the slate features a blend of independents such as Yaissel Sánchez, David Bernardo López, Mario Villar, and Rosario Navalón, alongside notable incumbents like Laura Soler, who stands second, and José Chulvi, the mayor of Xàbia and the high-profile union deputy in Cortes. These elements together sketch a picture of a province that the party views as both a strategic prize and a test of its capacity to translate national-level policy into tangible local outcomes.