A high-voltage clash shook a Valencian Parliament session, serving as a gauge of the charged mood dominating regional politics. For Generalitat chief Ximo Puig, the Thursday debate laid bare how far apart the political camps on the right and left remain. The ongoing legal skirmishes, including cases tied to the president’s brother and to Mónica Oltra, the vice president of the regional administration, have become a blunt instrument for attacks that threaten to push Botànic’s rhetoric into sharper, more disruptive territory. Attempts to frame the discussion around judicial autonomy did little to calm the room. Neither did the executive defend the minister for equality, who had already spoken about the alleged concealment of a minor’s sexual abuse in custody by a former spouse. The opposition pressed their case, turning two legal cases into a leitmotif to demand Oltra’s removal and then demand accountability from Puig himself, arguing these are the same figures that controlled the government until 2015.
The People’s Party, Ciudadanos and Vox arrived at the Parliament unwilling to halt the momentum, basing their stance on a unified narrative: Oltra must resign, a demand amplified by the head of the Valencian Judicial Court No. 15, who contends that the regional high court should take action. If she refused, the opposition suggested Puig should wield the authority to strip the vice president of certain powers. Yet those predictions are contested by the opposition’s own admission that Puig is politically constrained by his brother’s involvement in the investigations. Francesc Puigsac summoned testimony from several Generalitat officials amid a probe arising from a complaint by the PP over alleged subsidies misuse and fraudulent documentation in processing various aid programs. The debate escalated to the point where the president of the Cortes, Enric Morera, repeatedly paused the session to demand order, while Botànic defended its governance and its dignity against the volleys from the regional administration.
A so-called pact of silence emerged as rivals avoided mutual accountability. Catalá of the PP argued that the issue could not be allowed to fester unaddressed and suggested that if Oltra stays, Puig would need to intervene by taking away certain powers, a scenario he claimed would not be likely given Puig’s political constraints. He hinted that Generalitat’s lawyers might be asked to testify to clarify the decision not to appear in a related case. Several political voices from the socialists labelled Catalá’s comments as a sign of poor character, accusing him of reveling in mud rather than seeking clarity. The discussion finally shifted toward whether the Generalitat would disclose the appearance details of its Legal Profession director in the ongoing case, with officials indicating that a clear explanation would be provided. The socialist mayor Manolo Mata blasted Catalá for his remarks, accusing him of casting the enterprise into unfounded controversy and noting that Oltra’s associates hold shares in certain companies that are under investigation, while asserting that the government had not been aware of the specifics.
Ximo Puig emphasized that his administration runs with integrity, pledging respect for democracy and defense of judicial autonomy. He questioned the opposition’s strategy during a crisis shaped by global tensions and Ukraine’s conflict, asking whether a lawsuit against a corporate partner could be viewed as a critical moment for the region’s governance. Puig asserted that there would be no attempt to redraw the government’s structure and reaffirmed that Oltra would remain the first vice president unless circumstances demanded a different course. In a separate response from Vox, he underscored that there was no intention to reshape the Council, thereby reaffirming Oltra’s current leadership role.
Oltra points to Camps, Ribera Salud, and the far right in what she calls a political “hunt”
Oltra responded by labeling the controversy a political hunt directed at Generalitat’s leadership. She cited former regional authorities such as Francisco Camps, the head of Ribera Salud, and Alberto de Rosa of Atocha, connecting the investigation to broader financial ties and influence. Speaking at a Madrid AVE station, Oltra argued that the link between money and political leverage is clear and dangerous. She cited alleged histories of healthcare contracts and questioned the role of Ribera Salud’s leadership, including Fernando de Rosa, who has ties to the PP, in shaping outcomes. Oltra claimed that figures connected to Camps and the health sector were implicated in activities that could influence public administration and patient care. She recalled past criticisms of health sector practices and asserted that certain local institutions had faced pressure and controversy tied to these relationships. The Ateneo de Valencia and a related demonstration highlighted the concerns voiced by Oltra, who urged the public to pay attention to how money can intersect with political influence in ways that impact governance and accountability. She urged observers to “connect the dots,” underscoring her view that the pattern of influence extended beyond isolated cases and into the wider political landscape.
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