Citizens across regions are rallying as Liberal leaders seek renewal this Thursday amid a tense contest between the two main candidates in their party primaries. Violence among militants continues, and confidential information leaks surface about the People’s Party. In the Balearic Islands, Patricia Guasp leads a slate linked to Inés Arrimadas and guided by parliamentary speaker Edmundo Bal. The process unfolds with a quiet, painful toll in the province. A striking figure emerges: among the 110 councilors retained by the Citizens party in the Alicante region, only about one in five actively backed the newly proposed leadership slate.
Two perspectives
The prevailing mood in many circles is echoed by the spokesperson for the party’s orange faction in the Provincial Assembly, Javier Gutierrez. “I don’t feel I represent any single faction because neither the regional nor the national leadership aligns with the values that brought me to the party. Our trademark was stability and good governance, and there is little of that left today”, says the deputy overseeing Infrastructure and Aid to Municipalities, as he weighs his options. He adds, “There is a sense that they want to change everything so as not to have to change anything.”
“Cs leadership made a huge mistake that should be held accountable”
Within the reorganization discussions, Teresa Ortiz, the regional secretary for Organization, aligns with Arrimadas as part of the Vázquez and Guasp list. “The feeling is positive. We still believe the project has a future and can succeed”, he asserts. The dialogue includes district MP Ortiz Mother Peris; Narciso Estellés, the Corporate Action Secretary; and Adrian Santos Perez, a councilor in Alicante City Council who is regarded as the Mayor of Portakallı in the most recent municipal elections. Regarding Bal’s candidacy, the line of support is strong, as is the backing of the congressman. Juan Ignacio Lopez-Bass, the regional Organization lead for l’Alcoià, and Gema Santoyo are also cited as key figures in this effort [Source: party communications summary].
Future
Gutierrez is not alone in questioning a rebuild within the Citizens party. Recent statements from orange faction trustees in the Valencia courts, Ruth Merino, show a cautious distance from the process. Merino notes she would not stand as a Liberal candidate in the upcoming regional elections. She is preparing to leave the party amid the reestablishment talks and has convened media this Thursday to share her views [Source: regional press briefings].
The regional spokesperson’s message confirms ongoing mobilization across the community. The Valencian Community currently has a limited footprint for a party that has endured a profound crisis for some time, and the landscape remains unsettled as talks continue.
At the regional level, the orange faction stands as the sole group with representation in the Valencian Parliament that has yet to declare its final stance before the May elections. Yet Mamen Peris’s proposal appears to be gaining traction in subsequent public polls and internal discussions, indicating a potential shift in momentum that could redefine the party’s regional role [Source: regional assembly notes].