The People’s Party stepped into the scene from the basketball courts early that morning and announced it had secured the support of Alicante and Elda, two prominent names in sports. In Alicante, it marked the first signature on the municipal list for the PP. Mayor and PP re-election candidate Luis Barcala announced that Toni Gallego, CEO of CF Intercity and chair of the Lucentum Foundation, has joined the party as an independent. The speaker praised Gallego’s notable career with Lucentum and expressed pride in adding him to the team that would be running in the upcoming municipal elections. Signing for Alicante and its sports community.
The sports leader thanked the trust shown and stressed that efforts to improve sports infrastructure and everything the city deserves are ongoing.
Born in Alicante in 1975, Gallego holds a degree in Economics from the University of Alicante and a Master in Portfolio Management from the Options and Futures Institute. Public records show he previously managed investment and pension funds at Gestora CAM. His professional journey is closely linked to sports: he spent years as a professional basketball player and has chaired the Lucentum Foundation since 2015. Since late 2021, he has led CF Intercity as chief executive following the merger of both organizations. Gallego is the first name approved by Barcala for the 28M municipal candidacy, a renewal described as potentially dynamic, though the final ranking remains to be clarified. [citation: official party briefing, Alicante, 2024]
Another notable facet of this announcement is that Gallego’s signing followed weeks after Socialist mayor Ana Barceló independently added Hercules’ historical figure Eduardo Rodríguez to her own slate.
New hook in Vinalopó
Elda’s People’s Party mayoral candidate, Francisco Sánchez, revealed the person who will be second on his list. The choice is Felipe Martínez Martínez, currently president of the Royal Spanish Boxing Federation, a role he has held since 2016.
In presenting Martínez, Sánchez highlighted several attributes that stood out: extensive formal training, a background in public service, and strong ties to Elda.
Martínez, who earned a Criminology degree from the University of Alicante and is pursuing a master’s in High Performance Sports, works as an off-duty police officer. He is approaching a second term as president of the Royal Spanish Boxing Federation. “I hadn’t planned a political path, but Paco Sánchez’s project was compelling. I am excited to work for this city and believe Elda deserves a change,” Martínez said.
Francisco Sánchez added: “It’s valuable to have someone with proven management experience in a national institution who also engages through international channels. Boxing is growing, and under Martínez’s leadership, licenses, especially for women, have risen. This profile brings essential elements for any campaign, so we’re grateful he agreed to move into the second position.”