Diana Morant, serving as Minister of Science and a candidate to lead the PSPV, urged an end to the ongoing family dispute within the party. She asserted that the family is the Socialist Party itself and signaled a path forward built on unity during a visit to La Fe Hospital in Valencia on a Friday. Morant spoke amid questions about the PSPV renewal process and the prospect of her sole candidacy to succeed the current leadership. A long-standing agreement with Alicante and Valencia leaders Alejando Soler and Carlos Fernández Bielsa had positioned Ximo Puig as general secretary in the past, but Morant clarified that the process was moving toward consensus and a collective renewal.
Morant stressed that there was broad agreement and that a strong, cohesive party could leverage greater authority to pursue its goals. She framed the objective as opposing the policies of the PP and Vox, describing them as the most reactionary government in the recent history of the Valencian Community. Citizens’ expectations, she noted, include preparing the party to resist cuts and protect cultural vitality, including the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and women. Morant pledged to use the tools available through the Spanish government to safeguard public services while advancing the PSPV’s leadership agenda as both minister and secretary-general.
“Part-time” minister
When asked about claims that she would be a part-time minister, Morant replied that she would have time for everything. She pointed to the prior roles of Carlos Mazón as president of Alicante’s Provincial Council and as a party secretary, arguing that public service requires an institutional footprint and a robust political platform. She suggested that some opponents may prefer a minister who would not be in a direct confrontation with them, but she defended her ability to balance responsibilities.
Morant emphasized that the PSPV remains a democratic party and that the current process seeks to mobilize the entire party membership into a shared project. She outlined a plan to assess needs by engaging with different regions and voices within the party, including militancy, mayors, and those who have not yet been recertified in leadership roles.
PP has an alternative before it
Morant asserted that the party would confront the commitments made by the previous government and maintain a united, cohesive organization. She framed the upcoming congresses as an opportunity to reinforce party cohesion and to contest the cuts being proposed by opponents. The aim, she said, was to align the organization across the Valencian Community to advance a socialist program and counter political strategies they consider harmful to citizens.
Discussions with Soler and Bielsa about future organic positions were described as part of a broader agreement that should be valued as a democratic victory. Morant suggested that unity and clear agreements would help the PSPV advance its agenda and present a strong alternative to the PP.
“We will meet thousands of times”
Morant characterized the agreement as sincere and grounded in the belief that unity could trump dispersion. She explained that the goal was to shape a common project through ongoing collaboration, with the three leaders continuing to engage militants, local leaders, and supporters to prepare for the March congress. The plan involved sustained coordination among the general secretary and party factions across the Valencian Community, ensuring an ongoing feedback loop and visible progress reports.
She cautioned that dialogue remained a key element of the internal process and stressed the importance of listening to the militancy as a pathway to consolidation. When asked whether unity among militants might fracture, Morant replied that there was nothing more democratic than a shared agreement. All three contenders had presented their candidacy with openness, inviting input from party members and those engaged in local governance. The result, she asserted, was a decision to unite under a single candidacy that would empower the secretary-general role.
She concluded that it was time to put an end to the family dispute. The Socialist Party, she declared, is the instrument and legacy of civic society, a vehicle to drive progress and defend public services and rights for all citizens. The emphasis remained on unity, democratic governance, and a shared commitment to advancing social justice in the Valencian Community.