Rumor turned to decision yesterday as Spain named a new ambassador and permanent representative to the OECD. The government approved the nomination of the former president of the Valencian regional government, Ximo Puig, to lead Spain’s delegation in Paris, replacing Manuel Escudero Zamora, who held the post since June 2018 when a new administration took the helm in Madrid.
Puig’s designation as Spain’s envoy to the Paris-based organization comes as little surprise. The former regional leader, who stepped back from his duties at the head of the PSPV in December, has long been associated with this position. The moment he stepped down from his senate seat in the regional chamber on Monday made it clear that his appointment was imminent.
The announcement arrived on Monday with a letter to the regional legislature that originally elected him to the Senate, and Puig traveled to Madrid yesterday to bid farewell to colleagues in person. The official confirmation followed a cabinet meeting at the Moncloa Palace. The post is under the Foreign Affairs Ministry, now led by Jose Manuel Albares. The appointment, however, reflects a direct request from the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.
Puig views his new role as both recognition and a substantial shift from the work of recent years. His aim is to learn and contribute from a different vantage point of Spain. Sánchez has asked him to bring his expertise in economic policy and the social state from the perspective of a regional leader, drawing on his experience as former president of the Valencian Community.
“I have been asked to offer a different, decentralized viewpoint,” Puig explained in remarks to Levante-EMV. He emphasizes that he accepts the post with humility and a plan to provide a Valencian perspective. He notes that the OECD has existed since 1961, and he will become the first Valencian to serve as ambassador in more than six decades of the organization’s life.
Connection with Latin America
Puig intends to deepen his understanding of the OECD and wants to address gaps he identifies from his time leading the Valencian Community. Among the issues he mentions are social equality and rural depopulation. He also highlights the importance of fostering a larger Latin American presence within the OECD, a theme that Sánchez has underscored as central to the new role.
It was Sánchez who offered the position a few weeks ago, Puig acknowledges. He has been clear about his plan from the start, even as talk of other destinations, such as a potential European Parliament seat, circulated. “I need to learn a lot,” the socialist leader from Valencia adds, underscoring the institutional significance of a posting in Paris.
Puig’s new assignment, a departure from his Senate duties, is also seen as a way to step back from daily Valencian politics and the local party life. “It is beneficial for everyone to take some distance at this moment,” he states to this publication. He leaves open the possibility of future support as the PSPV heads toward a congress that will mark a renewal in the party, a period that will honor the past while shaping the future.
Some within the PSPV nevertheless view Puig’s move as a crucial part of the party’s evolution. The party’s parliamentary spokesperson in the Corts describes it as a piece of the future, stressing that Puig will remain engaged in Valencian politics even as he assumes duties abroad. The transition is seen as a bridge between the legacy of Puig and the reform processes guiding the party forward under new leadership.
Puig’s tenure begins at a moment when Madrid expects a broader role for Spain on the international stage. The move signals a push to project regional perspectives onto global economic discussions, with a particular emphasis on issues like social cohesion and inclusive growth. For Puig, the new assignment represents a platform to view Spain’s development through the lens of regional governance, while contributing to the OECD’s ongoing work on global economic policy, social welfare, and inclusive growth.
In short, Puig’s appointment is described by allies and critics alike as a transformative step that could redefine the engagement between Spain’s regional authorities and international institutions. It marks a shift from domestic focus toward a broader policy dialogue that recognizes the value of decentralized perspectives in shaping national and international agendas.