The countdown is underway for PSPV, and the clock edges toward five days and more. The week ahead promises activity for the Valencian federation, facing a busy stretch before the first milestones that will lead to an extraordinary congress and the selection of Ximo Puig’s successor. If the celebration of the conclave is the summit, the decisive moment rests on the moment of arrival at base camp. How this is achieved, and with whom, could set the clear path toward leadership.
The first unknown was clarified yesterday, and the plan to delay last Friday was to “adjust the timetable and secure agreements.” Those agreements have not yet appeared, and they seem no closer than they did on Epiphany Eve. The meeting is now slated for next Monday, January 15, seven days after the original date. It is expected to determine the call of the National Committee and the proposed date for the extraordinary congress. In practical terms, it is a hopeful signal in a continuous race against the clock.
The aim is to move forward by challenging the candidates and making support unmistakably clear. Party insiders say a week of intense negotiations is anticipated. When the congress convenes, leadership contenders — notably three: Carlos Fernández Bielsa, Alejandro Soler, and Diana Morant — may announce their candidacies, complicating efforts to avoid primaries, which remains the central objective of the current convention.
What matters most is the current regional leadership, known as Ximism, which has driven most of the negotiations and efforts to reach a deal with the other two educational factions. They rely on their own discretion, a frequently cited phrase among close sources with confidence that a harmony congress could emerge around a single candidate.
month end commission
Yet representatives from the other two groups contest these negotiations and doubt an easy path to agreement. They argue that if the official sector appears most eager to reach a deal, it could signal real vulnerability to a militants’ vote. Morant has, in comparison with the other two candidates, faced scrutiny. Still, none of the three has confirmed plans to advance a step, even though the Alicante provincial secretary general has shown more openness, while “ximism” seeks a deal with Ferraz’s mediation.
Consequently, next week is expected to be busy. The formal call to the conclave could speed decisions and enable further action given tight deadlines. There is a sense that, while ordinary procedures allow 60 days, extraordinary circumstances place no fixed minimum between call and celebration. Of course, several minimum requirements must be met for any potential double-round primary: two free weekends, a window to present candidates, time to gather endorsements, and a campaigning period.
With the plan set for January 15, the National Committee is expected to meet on Saturday, January 27, allowing ten days before the celebration. From there, the calendar becomes the first negotiating milestone in which the Valencian federation must consider Ferraz’s stance. The federal leadership must validate dates and deadlines. Yesterday, PSOE Organizing Secretary Santos Cerdán indicated that the PSPV congress would occur in the first quarter of 2024.
This arrangement would have been nearly impossible if the execution had been postponed until the end of the following week. In truth, the calendar is squeezed by a March that could be nearly non-functional, with celebrations alternating between Magdalena, Fallas, and Holy Week.