Instability in the region’s political landscape is evident, with a notable push inside the education sector in the province to participate more actively in governance. The People’s Party is rallying its members for next year’s municipal and district elections, signaling a broader strategy that could influence the balance of power across key cities in l’Alacantí. While Santiago Rome of the PP is being courted in Sant Joan d’Alacant, delegates like Carlos Mazon are already publicly backing their mayors in most major towns in the area, leaving Sant Joan in a limbo. Román has not ruled out continuing with Cs or returning to PP, and his position remains a focal point of speculation that mirrors shifting alliances observed elsewhere.
change sides
Observers note that the orange party is unlikely to turn Román against his will, and if he does switch sides, it could resemble the 2018 episode in San Vicente del Raspeig, when Pachi Pascual moved back from Cs to PP after a mid-September change. National dynamics add another layer: liberal voices at the top levels are pushing for a broader reevaluation of positions. A high-profile sign is the move by the mayor of Badajoz, who left Cs for PP, which some supporters of the orange project view as evidence that political allegiances can shift rapidly when the moment calls for it.
In Sant Joan, the situation remains unresolved for now. Cs promptly announced that Román would head the ticket, but no formal decision has been published. Rumors about a possible return to PP have persisted for some time. It is worth remembering that when Román took charge mid-last year as part of the agreement between the Orange party and the PSOE, he enjoyed the backing of Mazón and the then-popular Alicante mayor, Luis Barcala. That collaboration featured mutual gestures between Román and Mazón, whose friendship traces back to their days with Nuevas Generaciones.
Beyond Sant Joan, the broader pattern points to a renewal in alignments that is unsettling the local political scene. The convergence between PP and Cs is echoing across the country, producing tensions and reshaping leadership at multiple levels. In Granja de Rocamora, four popular councilors challenged the current liberal mayor, Javier Mora, and put themselves forward to lead the next municipal slate, signaling a practical recalibration of local power.
“Re-establishment”
Meanwhile, the effort described as a “re-establishment” within Cs has not yet taken full shape, and many members have drifted away in disappointment. Decisions like the one by Badajoz mayor Ignacio Gragera have intensified concerns among supporters who believed the project launched by Albert Rivera could still find traction. Internal tensions between key figures Inés Arrimadas and Edmundo Bal have not helped stabilize the party’s direction.
The wounds from this split continue to affect Orihuela as well. The controversy led to the precautionary suspension of militia activity for the Provincial Coordinator, Javier Gutiérrez, who remains the Cs spokesperson on the Provincial Council. The approach toward the PP is also noteworthy. Although the arrival of Juan Ignacio López-Bas from Orihuelaon to the provincial board did not fully realign the party’s course in Alicante, the question of who will head the regional list remains unresolved.
Orange-leaning candidates named for major towns in the province include Benidorm, Torrevieja, and Dolores, where Cs has announced the top-line contenders: Victoria Villar in Benidorm, Carlos Hurtado in Torrevieja, and Víctor Manuel Gomis in Dolores.