At the start of the morning, a no-confidence agreement was signed in Orihuela by PSOE, Ciudadanos, and Cambiemos, a document they described as a definitive step toward a new leadership. The parties argued this move would end paralysis and blockades at the town hall, signaling that, on April 25, the municipal general assembly would remove Mayor Emilio Bascuñana from office.
The agreements, which are expected to be public in the coming days, were described as bilateral and independent, involving the parties most relevant to the city. It appears Ciudadanos will retain control over its current portfolios in Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Human Resources, Education, and Culture while assuming influence over social affairs alongside the Socialists. Podemos, IU, and Claro reportedly would not join the new governing team.
This marks the third no-confidence attempt supported by PSOE and Cambiemos in the past four years, following Ciudadanos’ opposition to earlier left-led efforts to expel the PP in 2018 and 2020. After a sequence of public disagreements and conflicts, tensions between the orange party and the PP became clear as Citizens, amid strong competition, withdrew from the council’s support.
Socialist spokesperson Carolina Gracia, who led the bill as a mayoral candidate, described the decision as well-considered and intentional, arguing it reflected a resignation long anticipated: Bascuñana had shown limited capacity to secure the needed majorities for ongoing Orihuela projects.
Gracia highlighted the 2018-budget framework as a key tool for moving the city forward, noting that Socialist support would depend on a future revision of the PP accounts if the PP severed ties with its current government partner.
Nevertheless, she stressed that the aim was to disrupt the pattern of stalemate and to deliver meaningful changes. The emphasis was on agreement, consensus, and the capacity to implement a program, because with the remainder of the mandate being short, those elements were essential to unblocking governance. Gracia suggested the new alignment began last year when support for the PP was pivoted toward addressing important issues, and described the current approach as the start of a process that could shield the city’s residents and businesses in need.
Similarly, José Aix, deputy mayor and Ciudadanos spokesperson, argued that the central point was responsibility and the willingness to take decisive steps to address urgent needs in Orihuela. He indicated that the pending government was not functioning, and that a clear plan and authority would be restored to the city through renewed collaboration, stability, and accountability.
María Sandoval, Cambiemos spokesperson, stated that the no-confidence motion was about more than removing a mayor; it aimed to clear bottlenecks and craft a governance model responsive to cascading socioeconomic crises. She pointed to a compact of roughly 40 points covering housing, coastal protection, social measures, and infrastructure as a concrete plan. Highlights included halting Cala Mosca construction, securing urban housing, renovating aging buildings, expanding early childhood education, establishing a new public school, and providing subsidies to local businesses—measures designed to stabilize the historical district and surrounding areas.
Sandoval added that the agreement would be monitored through quarterly meetings to ensure coordination, development, and accountability across the involved departments and parties.
Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca, Deputy Secretary of the Organization of the People’s Party in Valencia, dismissed the motion as a smokescreen aimed at masking the alleged misdeeds of opponents. He accused the coalition of prioritizing political maneuvering over the interests of Orihuela and Vega Baja residents and urged the PSPV leadership to explain why they aligned with defectors to overthrow the local PP government, given Ciudadanos’ stance against action at the time.
In this sequence of statements and political maneuvers, the parties in Orihuela underscored a shared goal: to unlock governance, address urgent town needs, and establish a stable framework for the city’s future development. The evolving dynamic reflects a broader debate over how best to balance accountability, policy coherence, and the practical needs of families and local businesses as Orihuela navigates a challenging period of social and economic shifts. (Fuente: prensa local y declaraciones oficiales de las partes involucradas)