The pre-campaign season is already underway for politicians. With one year to go before municipal elections and a notable autonomous race in the Community of Valencia, attention center stage on the Plaza de la Montañeta in Alicante. It was here that supporters urged the continuity of the Tajo-Segura transfer in a show of political momentum.
Never before have so many elected representatives from across the spectrum gathered in a single protest to defend the streams. A broad coalition—PP, PSOE, Compromís, Ciudadanos and Vox—made appearances to shield demonstrators and the protest itself from the tractors. The day also highlighted the rivalries and disagreements that typically surface in public when parties claim to be the strongest defenders of irrigation. They stood together, yet remained distinct. The Socialists again aligned with the water groups behind the central flag, but each party sought its own space, underscoring a lack of political unity on an issue that affects thousands of residents.
Many political faces were present, though the absence of the head of the Generalitat, the Socialists, drew attention. Ximo Puig was unavailable days before his presidency, offering reasons not to participate in non-institutional activities. This stance stood in contrast with the Murcian counterpart, Fernando López Mázon, who attended alongside the Alicante Provincial Council chair and the PP regional leader Carlos Mazón.
The PSPV-PSOE new board, led by Barceló, shifted from a previously established stance of a united front. They argued that the transfer remains indispensable and called for unity, even as it became clear the protest would include a public that expected a clear stance. Barceló publicly pressed for collaboration while seeking space to be heard among the crowd, moving toward the Murcian president for a brief, candid exchange after addressing the gathering.
López Miras chose to criticize Puig for not attending and urged courage from the Valencian and Murcian leaders to pursue a unified plan against the central government in defense of the transfer. He asserted that water resources were originally redirected from the Tagus and emphasized their impact on tens of thousands of families across Murcia, Alicante, and Almería. He accused the central authorities of political maneuvering and questioned the technical basis of any abrupt change. Puig responded from Valencia that his administration favored a negotiated path, even as others warned of a conflict flag and warned that electoral calculations were driving confrontation rather than policy.
The irrigators voiced disappointment with Botànic and the central government, chanting slogans such as stop the reconciliation and red card to the government and the PSOE. Representatives spoke to the media while banners targeted PSOE and PP, with Vox and Cs attracting less criticizing attention. A banner reading We are here because of PPSOE captured the moment, with Vox members prominently displaying it. The mood suggested that public fatigue with political conflict was rising, and party unity remained elusive.
The Valencian government, marked by Barceló’s recent departure from the administration, adjusted its rhetoric on the Tajo-Segura cut. It declined to join the protest with a few exceptions from minister Mullah and regional agriculture secretary Roger Llanes who issued limited calls. The PSPV-PSOE board called for reconsideration and dialogue, while Minister of Innovation and Universities in Alicante Josephine Good directed a sharp critique toward the central administration. She framed the issue as one of political rivalry causing anxiety rather than solving practical irrigation concerns.
Farmers dictate the sentence: Cutting off Tajo-Segura is destroying us and the political class has done nothing
The socialist contingent appeared in unprecedented numbers to defend irrigation interests by opposing the water infrastructure cut. Joining Barceló and Llanes, several key socialists from the province and regional government spoke out, underscoring their commitment in Puig’s absence. The list included Ruben Alfaro, Alexander Soler, Rose Guillén and many others who, despite the size of the turnout, found that their message did not fully penetrate the crowd of irrigators, complicating the aim of a unified political voice.
The PP also participated, led by Mazón in a broad gathering that included the provincial president and a host of deputies and mayors. Mazón pressed for dialogue with Madrid, while López Heritage urged a focus on technical criteria for the Tagus and a new hydrographic plan. The delegation from Andalusia’s regional office, represented by Aranzazu Martin, argued that more ideological debate rather than scientific reasoning was shaping policy.
Mazón called for a formal agreement between the central government and the autonomous communities, accusing Pedro Sánchez’s administration of deceiving irrigators and regional farmers. He promised to resist demagoguery and urged Puig to show courage and defend the water resources his region deserves, even if it meant pressing his own party toward more decisive actions.
The gathering also saw support for farmers from agriculture minister Mireia Mollà and regional climate emergency and ecological transition leaders who signaled room for negotiation with Madrid. The Valencian delegation, including the Botànic secretary and other regional figures, demanded a formal hearing of irrigators’ demands by the central government and argued for ecological flow protections at a sustainable rate, proposing a flow of 6 cubic meters per second as a compromise and pushing Madrid to address river cleanliness.
In addition to the agriculture minister, the meeting drew other mayors from the province and regional leaders who joined the call for action against perceived central stagnation.
Consell and Diputación will base their resources on the irreparable socio-economic damage from the cutting of Tajo-Segura.
From Cs, trustee Ruth Merino raised concerns about party alignment, criticizing PSOE for perceived deviations and arguing that years of bipartisanship have harmed Alicante communities dependent on the Tajo-Segura transfer. Merino spoke in favor of a broader national water agreement and urged Puig to stand firm against Sánchez when negotiating critical water resources. Cs district colleagues and multiple councilors joined the call for a fair, region-spanning water policy that safeguards equality of resources across provinces.
Parra of the Provincial Council emphasized the need for stronger alignment with the central administration, arguing that Alicante and Valencia should not be sidelined and that the government must assume greater responsibility. Vox’s spokesperson focused on ensuring the farmer would not be left alone, linking the regional dispute to broader national dynamics and asserting that the PP and PSOE were using local rhetoric to generate revenue while shifting positions from one location to another.