Forecasts place this event on Wednesday night at 17:39 in Valencia, with political projections suggesting it will unfold without triggering any major shifts in the Valencian agenda. Routine atmospheric readings sometimes outperform political forecasts, yet they always leave space for surprises. Despite calls for dialogue and gestures of goodwill, a storm in the Mediterranean appears to be a kind of political maneuver authored by the PP, PSPV, Compromís, and Vox in Madrid. One thing is certain today: the future will not be obstructed. The presidency notes that the aim is not about merit but about making an effort.
The big deals that Generalitat president Carlos Mazón has demanded, and that his predecessor and main opposition leader Ximo Puig had floated at the inauguration session, will have to wait. Everyone signals intent, but details hinge on factors A or B. This Wednesday is unlikely to be different from other days, where statements and conditions echo those heard the previous week. Notably, Compromís, one of the two opposition groups with 15 of the 99 seats in the Valencian Parliament, will abstain from attending the meeting.
Yesterday, Ombudsman Joan Baldoví answered a letter from the head of the Consell that arrived last week. He apologized not only for his own absence but also for that of his group, which will not send representatives to the Palau gathering. In his words, the Wednesday sessions should remain at the core of Valencian political life, transforming the Parliament into the arena for cross-group agreement. He added that the current Wednesday’s meetings are not a serious, systematic effort to reach consensus, but a staged display meant to cast the actions of the Consell and its majority in a more favorable light, contrary to the spirit of dialogue and compromise. In his view, real agreement would require correcting what he sees as deviations by the Consell and the parliamentary majority backing it.
Compromise will not be the sole sticking point in the initial plan from the PPCV leader. Puig, who received a personal invitation from Mazón, will not attend, but trustee Rebeca Torró and deputy trustee Arcadi España will attend in his place. A Consell spokesman stated that no assessment would be made about Puig’s absence, expressing a desire for him to be present, while stressing that Mazón has extended a hand to the groups. The spokesman emphasized the importance of their presence, as noted by Ruth Merino yesterday.
The sense that a deal is distant stems not only from the identities involved but also from the growing suspicion surrounding links between socialist and popular factions in recent weeks. Vox has labeled the factional stance as undemocratic, marking it a red line. Earlier in the week Puig wrote to Mazón urging condemnation of attacks on the PSPV headquarters and the insults received; such concerns, he argued, should not be resolved with words alone.
On the socialist side, there is a push to broaden the scope beyond the stated coexistence to include broader issues such as state authority, cultural defense, the Valencian language, and the fight against gender-based violence. Merino responded that conversations should not be bound by red lines and that no prearranged agreements should prevent open discussion of the broader framework that shapes these negotiations.
Closing the circle becomes even more difficult when considering that government ally Vox rejected the cancellation of regional debt in the Cortes last week, is not part of the Fair Financing Platform, and opposes reforms to the Valencian Civil Code. Merino argued that, despite these tensions, the Consell remains the only government capable of presenting unity in action.
However, sources close to Mazón insist that the effort will continue. They explain that the Consell chair will persist, and the plan for these meetings will be repeated until progress is made. A Presidency source summed it up: this is about trying, not about being worthy. The next gathering date remains uncertain, leaving everyone wondering how the path forward will unfold. [1]