Coalition after the July 23 elections Commit-Add secured a single deputy in Congress for Alicante. Txema Gravel thus becomes the representative of a controversial party in the Valencian Community, one that endured a painful bargain and left a mark on Alicante. The new term will begin on August 17, with the deputy acknowledging a learning phase, describing it as a political apprenticeship tied to national politics for the next six years.
The stage opens with a clear break from the purple party, long associated with one of its founders, Pablo Iglesias, and a group that has been part of its identity since inception. Txema Guijarro stepped down from leadership in February 2022 after a clash over the handling of negotiations for the state’s general budgets. He had served as general secretary of the parliamentary group and Treasury spokesperson. Since then, the leader has started distancing himself from the organization, remaining a member until very recently.
At his exit, Guijarro was sharply critical of his former party, lamenting both the process and the internal drift since the split. He indicated support for Yolanda Díaz and argued that the vice presidency should be the vehicle to challenge the conservative or ultra-conservative coalition formed by the PP and Vox.
Txema Guijarro: “What we’ve seen between PP and Vox is just one example of what’s going to happen in the future”
Regarding the Alicante province, he emphasized his campaign work aimed at delivering results regardless of Podemos’ indicators, highlighting the leadership and the intensity of the process from Xavi López.
The Sumar representative did not address the civil conflict that surfaced during the initial clash with Carlos Bernabé of Cambiemos Orihuela. The Orihuela ally was initially seen as a consensus candidate. Sumar emerged victorious in that internal struggle.
New phase
The politician, who has already presented his credentials in the Congress of Representatives, described the sense of abandonment as acute at present, noting that the platform has not yet established a formal structure in Alicante or the Valencian Community. He added that there are people within Podemos waiting for a formal party to emerge. He suggested there is a foundation to build on. Guijarro argued that Podemos has effectively disappeared, referring to the party’s organizational layoffs and the closure of Valencia offices, preferring to distance himself from ongoing events [Source: internal reports].
Looking ahead, the national MP aims to focus on growth for Sumar in Alicante, acknowledging the work yet to be done and the need to solidify a broader base in the region. He stated that he is not hesitant to champion a left-wing political alternative and has spent years advocating for it. Some observers view him as closely aligned with Yolanda Díaz and Pablo Iglesias, part of a leadership group that sought to unify the left and secure tangible results. His entry into Congress came outside Compromís, which had earlier this week presented its own credentials in the Cortes Generales.
Although the party did not have enough seats to form its own parliamentary group, the coalition aims to increase its influence after the setback, with Joan Baldoví aiming for a role in the Valencian Courts.
First comes the parliamentary group, then government, and finally the party, Guijarro predicted. He suggested that the project could take two years to establish a solid nationwide structure. The Alicante deputy remains optimistic about the next legislature and believes these milestones stem from the early elections call, which accelerated the platform’s founding dynamics under Yolanda Díaz. For now, Sumar remains in an embryonic phase as it negotiates a possible government alliance with the Socialists, while awaiting developments in the Podemos process in organizational terms, given the overlap among its militant base and supporters.