In 2023, political life grew intensely, marked by two pivotal electoral moments that kept everyone guessing. Regional and municipal ballots on 28M and a general vote on 23J created a tense calendar, with the possibility of fresh elections if a governing majority could not be formed. The Madrid scene may wobble for the moment, but this double poll shift unsettled national party dynamics. In some camps, leadership that has emerged in recent years gained strength; in others, old fault lines within blocs widened after disappointing results. The left-wide distribution intensified the debate. The cycle also recorded the decline of Ciudadanos and pushed Podemos toward a critical juncture, with notable voices in national circles, such as Txema Guijarro, promoting the foundations of the Sumar project.
The PP emerged as the clear winner of the 28M elections. Carlos Mazón reinforced his position as regional leader and head of the Generalitat, with two other prominent Alicante figures rising in prominence. Toni Pérez, the mayor of Benidorm, improved his local performance and now chairs the Provincial Council. Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca, the mayor of Finestrat, was named secretary general of the PPCV in August. Other notable PP names include Congress deputy Macarena Montesinos and Albatera mayor and Provincial Council vice president Ana Serna. In major municipalities, the party holds leaders such as Luis Barcala, Pablo Ruz, Eduardo Dolón, José Vegara, Pachi Pascual, and Rosa Cardona. Within the regional setup, two Alicante-origin councilors, José Antonio Rovira and Nuria Montes, sit among Mazón’s key regional aides, while Mazón’s allies in Palau, Santiago Lumbreras and José Manuel Cuenca, also come from Alicante.
On the other side, the PSPV-PSOE and Compromís faced intra-party struggles for influence. Within the Socialists, tensions existed between the faction aligned with the national general secretary and the bloc led by the former Generalitat president, Ximo Puig, and the state secretary Alejandro Soler. After the 28M results, Puig faced pressure from his supporters in Elche, while Soler and his ally Carlos Fernández Bielsa targeted attempts to reshape the Valencia structure. Yet the advance of Soler in the Congress slates underscored that no lasting truce had taken hold.
From Alicante, Mazón aims to structure the entire Community
Among socialist mayors, the strongest incumbents included several regional figures. At an institutional level, Vicente Arques, the speaker of the Provincial Assembly in L’Alfàs del Pi, Rubén Alfaro (Elda), and Joaquín Hernández (Dolores) stood out. Toni Francés of Alcoy, who previously led the regional agency, retained the mayoralty, though with tighter margins. Sergio Carrasco in Ibi delivered a surprising result, while Carlos González, Carolina Gracia, Jesús Villar, Andreu Verdú, and José Chulvi, who remains a deputy ombudsman in the Cortes, faced tougher outcomes. The political climate remained unsettled across the Socialist camp, reflecting broader shifts in alliance-building and local governance ambitions.
Compromís faced its own internal frictions, with notable differences between its two main partners, Moon and Enterprise. Regionally, public contention increased after Enric Morera, a former Cortes president, was named regional senator over Carles Mulet. Provincial results also highlighted uneven fortunes across districts, as shown by the tight primary race between Aitana Mas and Gerard Fullana. In Elche, a major clash within Compromís surfaced when municipal speaker Esther Díez and former regional secretary Marian Campello clashed after a more contentious primary. The Alicante Municipal Council removed Natxo Bellido from his council seat, while Rafa Mas was publicly recognized as a councilor; divisions within the coalition drew attention. Altea’s mayor Diego Zaragozí was among the voices noting the rifts above the surface.
Some changes
Vox also saw a series of shifts. The province’s most recognized figure appeared in the person of the regional president, who, after appearing in several polls, did not secure a council post but will continue to serve as speaker of the Cortes for another term. San Vicente’s native David Martínez remained a strong candidate for federal office, with a lead in the state’s congressional race. In the Lower House, José María Sánchez continued to serve as a member of parliament. Miguel Pascual held the position of state secretary general and had ties to the Cortes through his work. After Eduardo Ruiz Navarro left Congress, the district justice secretary role opened up, and Sant Joan councilor Gema Alemán acted as the representative of the Provincial Council. Other notable names included Carmen Robledillo, Aurora Rodil, Gema Escolano, Mireia Moya, and Manuel Mestre, all playing roles in the evolving regional landscape.