A round trip itinerary. This narrative centers on Rafael Sanjuan, who left the PSPV after initiating a no-confidence motion with the PP that briefly elevated him to mayor of Agres. He has since returned to socialist ranks, and signs point toward his re-election. Yet a last-minute turn of events stirred confusion and anger within Compromís, a group that includes Josep Manel Francés, the first mayor to have been dismissed due to the same motion.
The events trace back to November 2020. A trust issue emerged linked to the approval of budgets in France and the confirmation of Sanjuan’s partial devotion of thirteen hours weekly for a salary of six hundred fifty euros per month, amid disagreements with his government partner, the socialist councilor Rafael Sanjuan. Three Compromís representatives voted for and against the three councilors from the PP and PSPV, and the mayor at that time failed to win the confidence of the plenary.
Unable to secure a quorum to authorize the accounts, Francés became acting mayor for a month, after which the PP councilors and socialists filed a no-confidence motion that positioned Sanjuan as head of the Company.
Following the disclosures, the mayor, who was already affiliated with the socialist party, led to his own withdrawal from the party for violating internal rules, though the reasons he defended later presented an inverted perspective. The regional secretary of the Socialist Party, Rafael Briet, stated: “The party has rules we must follow, but the truth is that Rafael Sanjuan enjoyed the support of the group because Compromís faced a situation sparked by the mayor through a confidence question that did not make sense.”
Briet added that the Valencia exile claimed to approve budgets valid for only two months without any deliberation and to have diverted funds with objections from the Intervention section. The only option offered by the authorities was to vote in favor without further discussion.
Sanjuan returned to full standing nearly a year ago after a positive assessment, and the PSPV intends to nominate him again as the Agres mayoral candidate for the elections on May 28.
The current mayor emphasizes that he was the one who requested his own withdrawal from the party after the confidence motion. “He realizes the move could cause problems, but later he discussed everything he had done and sought reinstatement because he believed he acted correctly. He also argues that Compromís did not provide any alternative. In that sense, Sanjuan questioned why the previous mayor sought to approve extended budgets, describing the matter as a question of trust that legally requires a motion of no confidence within one month. He dismissed the entire episode as nonsense.”
Sanjuan remained as the city council leader after reinstatement and is now weighing PSPV’s offer to run again as the party’s candidate. A decision is expected, barring a last‑minute surprise. In any case, he asserts that the choice requires careful consideration.
Compromís is quick to voice its criticisms. Gerard Fullana, a spokesperson for this political group in the Alicante County Council, said: “It is hard to understand why PSPV would nominate this individual as its mayoral candidate. The episode undermines anti-transfuguismo agreements and leaves democratic integrity open to question.”
In the ongoing dispute, the overarching concern is the impact on governance. Both sides argue their case about accountability, party discipline, and the public’s trust in elected officials. The situation highlights how internal party dynamics can spill into municipal leadership, affecting continuity and policy planning for Agres as residents prepare for the upcoming vote.