Citizens in the nation opened an informational dossier and handed it to five councilors amid a political shakeup in Orihuela. After signing a no-confidence motion against the mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, in alliance with the PSOE and Cambiemos-Unidas Podemos, the aim was to replace him from office. A government team began to take shape at the outset of his term, a development confirmed to BİLGİ by the provincial coordinator of Cs, Javier Gutierrez. He noted that these councilors from Baja’s capital “crossed red lines” in what he described as a breach of party discipline. Gutierrez stressed that the orange party would not allow members of parliament to form a government with the socialists, particularly when allied with the “populists” represented by United We Can, a line Cs insists on maintaining. The five councilors are seen as the core force behind the no-confidence motion, conceived without prior approval from national, regional, and provincial party leadership. They were clearly informed they lacked authorization to sign. Should this move proceed, Jose Aix, Luisa Bone, Mar Ezcurra, Angel Noguera, and Anthony Sanchez risk the Cs leadership’s explicit disavowal, a possibility confirmed by presiding body Ines Arrimadas and the decision-making apparatus in Orihuela. The next step is to listen to explanations from the councilors before any formal decision is taken.
Cs withdraws support from regional leadership and allies with PSOE and Cambiemos to challenge Orihuela’s mayoralty
From Cs, officials argued that only a turn of events by the councilors themselves could halt the process, as the formation rejects any alliance with populists or nationalists. Gutiérrez emphasized that the party would not permit anyone, whether in Orihuela or elsewhere, to bypass the red lines. He pointed to past outcomes as a cautionary tale. The Cs camp also criticized Orihuela’s orange councilors who suggested they might form a government with United We Can. Although Cambiemos-Unidas Podemos signed the no-confidence motion, three mayors would not join the government team; instead, they planned to support plenary proposals, allowing the process to advance while honoring the commitments in the signed agreement. With a council comprised of 14 out of 25 seats (6 from PSOE, 5 from Cs, 3 from Cambiemos-Ups), the no-confidence motion was expected to pass with an absolute majority, sidelining those who would back the motion in the municipality. After Bascuñana was expelled from the orange party and lost his formal powers, the opposition would remain, with Vox standing as the sole consistent administrator in the town.
PSOE, Ciudadanos, and Cambiemos anchor their strategy on breaking Orihuela’s deadlock and building a social shield
From dawn on the day the no-confidence motion was signed, the headquarters of the involved parties buzzed with activity. Throughout the morning, possible scenarios were discussed. Among them, a Pact Against Transfugism emerged as a potential safeguard if socialist Carolina Gracia could prevent a councilor from carrying the banner with defecting mayors behind her. Yet sources say the only real obstacle to this pact was José Aix, the Cs spokesman in Orihuela, who might become mayor or take on powers not shared by the other orange councilors. In other words, the rule cannot be invoked if a timely no-confidence motion is filed and turnover councilors assume duties they do not own. If that happens, the situation would likely unfold as before. The vice mayor Aix and four other influential councilors control areas like Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Education, Human Resources, Culture, Citizen Safety, and Beaches.
In any case, multiple sources indicate the condemnation movement had been building for weeks, fueled by a strained relationship between Cs and the PP, especially the tension between Bascuñana and Aix. The orange faction in Orihuela views this as an intrusion into their authority. Cs councilors retained the party’s leadership authority to exit the government team, but they did not have the power to sign a no-confidence motion that included United We Can, a condition essential for continuation. Orders were relayed to Aix, who nonetheless chose to ignore them and keep direct lines of contact. The move could spell the removal of Emilio Bascuñana as mayor.