The socialist campaign features daily announcements from the president, with yesterday marking another set of pledges. Sustainability is addressed, at least in part. Ximo Puig, the general secretary of PSPV-PSOE and a re-election candidate, spoke in Castellón as his program rolled out its three key actions. A central pledge is to lower electricity bills for residents who support renewable energy. The measure is framed around transforming families and the middle class, a focus that has appeared repeatedly in the policy agenda of the progressive leadership. The plan targets municipalities that have committed to green energy initiatives.
The second pledge concerns unused land reclamation. Puig announced subsidies of up to 2,000 euros for farmers reclaiming land for productive use.
The third initiative involves the Valencia Institute of Finance (IVF) raising a fund of 1,000 million euros to support “eligible” and newly created companies.
parks against plants
The first item aims to balance concerns raised in interior regions about photovoltaic projects by linking green energy deployment to environmental benefits. The proposal calls for the creation of renewable energy parks in municipalities. Where energy surplus exists, local councils and residents would benefit, potentially lowering electricity bills for those living there.
Facing protests, the head of Consell stated these facilities should be developed with land rather than against it, and compensation should be extended to municipalities that support them.
On agriculture, the PSPV-PSOE secretary general framed the grant as part of a partnership between ranchers and farmers to defend the region against fire risk.
Active agriculture, for the progressive bloc, also means safeguarding the local area and preventing fires. The remarks were made in Castellón, but the plan extends to the three provinces of the Valencian Community, where large forested areas burned last year, including Vall d’Ebo in Marina Alta. Puig announced subsidies of up to 2,000 euros per hectare to enable cultivation and productivity, and he unveiled a pilot program for the Alto Palancia region.
Ximo Puig pulls management back and focuses on water, family support and health
In terms of financing, the IVF fund expansion will aim to ease working capital for companies. The socialist candidate’s plan frames the new fund as a way to challenge the popularity and management of the Consell’s financial arm.
“Previously, the IVF was a flawed instrument, and now it has been stabilized to ensure company financing,” Puig noted, as reported by Europa Press.
With these three points, the candidate seeking continued leadership at the Palau de la Generalitat completes his program, a document expected to be presented in Alicante’s Digital Zone on Thursday. He was accompanied by part of his candidacy, including Rafa Simó and María José Salvador yesterday in Castellón.
More announcements are anticipated as the Socialists align election campaigning with the official schedule to demonstrate their administrative capacity at the head of the autonomous government.
Climate change and fighting big fires
Climate change, depopulation, desertification, fires and intergenerational relief are the five issues behind the aid offered by the socialists. The neglect of lands has heightened fire risk, with Alicante experiencing a severe incident in Vall d’Ebo where 12,150 hectares burned, including 3,000 hectares of olives, cherries and almonds, with several years needed for full recovery after replanting. Losses reached about 193 million euros.
Regarding unused land eligible for subsidies, data from the Environment Ministry show Alicante losing 40% of its fertile land over the last two decades, shrinking from about 180,000 hectares annually to around 130,000 by 2020.
The National Desertification Action Program notes that 94,360 hectares are affected, and 89,989 hectares, roughly 40% of the total 581,000 hectares in Alicante, remain at very high risk of desertification.