The PSPV has recently shown a clear focus on leadership changes and renewal. In a Valencia breakfast briefing, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero announced that she will step aside and will not stand again for the European Parliament elections on June 9 after a decade serving in the European Parliament. She has been the party’s main representative in Brussels for the past two legislative periods, and her departure marks a significant shift for the Valencian delegation.
The exit of the bloc’s long-standing number seven and five on the slate raises questions about who will take the top spot for Valencian socialists in these elections. It will essentially kick off an internal negotiation process led by Diana Morant and a yet-to-be-named head of Organization within the federation and with the PSOE leadership nationally. The single-constituency arrangement means the first list member from PSPV will signal the influence and negotiating power with Ferraz, and will also indicate whether Morant can place additional federation representatives in prominent roles. In 2019 the Valencian delegation secured three seats in Europe. Rodríguez-Piñero and Domènech Ruiz, the latter formerly located on the list due to Madrid connections, along with Estrella Durà, who benefited from Josep Borrell’s appointment as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, all won seats.
Selecting this role on the forthcoming slate will send an early message about Morant’s project in the region. Rodríguez-Piñero’s departure, however, already reflects a broader cycle change. The europarliamentarian joined the European race in 2014 at the invitation of Ximo Puig, who also preceded her in addressing the audience the day before, closing a circle started a decade earlier when Puig first presented her at the Nueva Economía Forum, back when he led the opposition. Rodríguez-Piñero stated that she is leaving with satisfaction about the work accomplished and emphasized that she has consistently promoted a progressive vision in international trade rules and ensured the Valencian voice was heard loudly and clearly in European negotiations. Puig, now serving as ambassador to the OECD, highlighted that Rodríguez-Piñero always defended Valencian interests at the negotiation tables.
Rodríguez-Piñero also confirmed that she has repaid the 40,000 euros she collected in per diems from her role as a Valencia Port Authority director, a post she held for eight years and resigned from in September. She explained that she did not realize this was an incompatibility—indeed, the port law does not label it as such, but a European directive did. She described herself as a victim of how the matter was publicized and criticized the way it was used to undermine her integrity.
She did not outline a specific future plan beyond stating that she will not retire. She suggested there would be time for reflection, noting that she would maintain her seat until July 16 and then face a six-month incompatibility period. Still, she declared that she would continue to contribute to the party’s advancement. Her exit from Europe could be seen as a temporary farewell rather than a final departure from public life.
Domènec Ruiz Devesa, from Alicante, is expected to pursue a continued presence in the European Parliament. After Rodríguez-Piñero’s confirmation that she will not join the PSOE list for the upcoming elections, attention shifts to Ruiz Devesa, who, unlike Rodríguez-Piñero, appears intent on a second term. People close to him say his goal is to complete at least two legislative cycles, building on the work he has carried out in recent years. Ruiz Devesa has been an active figure in Europe, challenging some of the most controversial local actions in Alicante and aligning with broader European initiatives. His work includes scrutiny of municipal policies in Alicante, such as questions raised amid local regulations concerning public welfare and home policies, and coordinated oversight of European standards on emissions zones. He has a strong connection to Josep Borrell, who previously led the Socialists in the European elections five years ago. In December, he was elected vice president of the European Movement International and serves as president of the Union of European Federalists. He is a spokesperson for the Socialists in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs in the European Parliament and participates in discussions about Europe’s future.