What balance does the first year of the mandate show?
A city once again reveals its uneven sides in Alicante. Tourists and residents, drivers and pedestrians, neighborhoods and the downtown—these contrasts are growing. A city is forming a kind of monster that inflates certain areas while others stagnate. The root cause is the sizeable investment gaps and a lack of urban planning, driven by a government that acts on a whim rather than from a solid city model.
And how does the candidate view their debut at Alicante City Hall?
Taking on a council as large as this one is a real challenge. In truth, the first three months were tough enough to consider returning to prior work. Yet a new perspective began to emerge. The group remains the smallest, yet when they tackle issues they go deep and refuse to be swept away by political showmanship.
What pillars anchor their opposition?
Their opposition rests on three main pillars. First, public services, including contracts, workers, and high-quality educational infrastructure—policies that favor the social majority rather than a privileged minority. Second, participation and transparency. There is a perceived deficit in transparency within this City Hall, and the current administration bears responsibility. A practical observation: the city would benefit from leadership that is less personal to any single individual. Finally, social well-being and the environment. There is a real concern about a plan to build 6,000 homes while the city ranks among the provinces with the highest vacant housing stock. The approach of the vice mayor has also been criticized as erratic.
How can all these lines be defended by a single councilor in a 29-member corporation?
In the face of an administration that seems distant from citizens, there is a single opposition councilor who maintains an open office and visits neighborhoods to collect demands and bring them to the plenary sessions. However, even there, decisions are often split, with votes for and against reflecting a divided assembly. In this context, the balance tends to be 18 votes from the PP and Vox versus 11 from the left bloc.
The PP often aligns with Vox. Would you lend your vote to prevent a pact with the far right?
Yes, of course. In fact, when the approval of a new Public Road ordinance stalled for lack of sufficient support, the United Left – Podemos offered to reach a minimal agreement. They know that this gesture was made, and several councilors have indicated they are ready to engage.
Would you also negotiate the municipal budget?
Yes, in the same spirit. A past agreement with the PP showed that politics can be about what is feasible. Approving the budget would enable funding for essential items that otherwise would remain blocked if the accounts always end up aligned with Vox. Many program proposals from their platform could be acceptable to the PP and help reach a broader agreement.
Despite doubts about the PP, they have taken the matter to the Ombudsman for lack of information…
Transparency remains a major concern. If there is nothing to hide, why the insistence on withholding information? The opposition has had to approach the Ombudsman on three occasions. In the latest case, they are still awaiting reports affecting the Luceros fountain prior to its rehabilitation. The Ombudsman sided with the need for open information as a right that cannot be denied to the opposition.
On the issue of Mascletás, is Luceros the right place, or should they be held elsewhere?
Being critical from a public square is valid. What matters is not playing to the crowd but addressing the impact on the fountain. They have requested reports because the debate should be transparent. Former councilors from the PP have noted that an alternative to Luceros exists, an option drawn from earlier reports with other officials. This is not a political ideology issue; it is about finding the best solution for the city’s heritage and daily life.
They have also been critical of the Low Emission Zone.
The accusation from the far right that they want to punish drivers misses the point. The goal is to improve coexistence in the city and reduce the imbalance between private cars and public transport, with a greater emphasis on sustainable mobility.
What is the most urgent problem facing the city?
The most urgent issue is the macro-deposits at the port, which pose a potential environmental and safety risk. The most significant concerns tie into environmental and tourism aspects, including the effects on local employment and housing prices around a robust tourism model.
Looking ahead from the first year, what is expected for the next three years?
The aim is to make a credible and viable alternative to the current administration with proposals that can be seen as a real left option against the municipal ruling party. The goal is to present a credible path to residents that shows a different way forward.