Morlar has scheduled the steps to assemble candidates for the 2023 election process. Pilar Lima, the regional coordinator of Podem, attended the meeting of the State Citizens’ Council alongside other Valencian representatives. During the Podemos training session that set the dates for the upcoming primary elections—covering the 2023 municipal and regional contests between October 10 and November 4—the plan was confirmed for ongoing registration and the use of telematic voting to cast ballots. A dedicated selection committee, comprising state and regional officials, will guide the process across multiple territories, including the Valencia region, with field work unfolding progressively.
Lima outlined the Valencia agenda, stressing that it will shape discussions within the General Government Budgets negotiations and highlighting the reform of the Autonomous Financing System, which has not been updated in eight years as a central objective. This issue is closely linked to fiscal and tax reforms in Spain. She also emphasized the need to address Alicante, the province that received the lowest per-capita investment in the 2022 coalition budget arrangement between PSOE and Podemos. The same concern is echoed by the Generalitat in a governance framework that seeks fair distribution of resources.
Generalitat urges Government to end underfunding Alicante in the face of 2023 budgets
“Even though financial reforms have progressed over the past two years, it is time to finalize regional financing so that our Community does not suffer from insufficient income, particularly when previous years showed holdings as high as 1,300 million euros in cryptocurrency allocations,” Lima stated. “When funding for public services such as health, education, and social policy managed by the Autonomous Community remains inadequate, the result is mounting debt, with more than 28% of the Generalitat’s budget devoted to debt servicing, totaling 53,049 million euros,” she added [citation: Valencian regional government records].
She noted that investment in rail transport has to be scaled up, as the Comunidad Valenciana currently ranks toward the bottom in this area. The plan calls for strengthening the commuter rail system through electrification, a second track where needed, universal accessibility at stations, and the elimination of level crossings. The aim is to empower a future autonomous authority to oversee the rail network as part of the region’s broader administrative structure [citation: regional transport strategy release].
On the regional finance front, Lima pressed for a precise and transparent allocation of last year’s regional investments within the next budgets. Alicante’s pattern of underfunding—reminiscent of the PP-era trend—must be reversed, with Valencia’s allies insisting on fair funding that spurs meaningful development across the Valencian Community and, in particular, meaningful growth for Alicante [citation: regional budget negotiations briefing].
The Podemos leadership at the state level pledged to help move the Valencia agenda into the General Government Budgets negotiation framework and to maintain close oversight of regional investment. Coordination will be strengthened between regional leaders and Podemos negotiators as the PGE process advances. In the coming weeks, collaboration will expand to ensure the Valencia agenda remains central during negotiating rounds between the government partners. This plan is expected to intensify as the PGE discussion period unfolds, aligning regional priorities with national fiscal policies [citation: party leadership communications].