"What a shame about the Socialist Party!", "Coup plotters!", "Scoundrels!" They were some of the expletives (there were more and more unpleasant ones) that the former president of the Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the general secretary of the PSPV, Ximo Puig, had to hear at the door of the headquarters of the Valencian socialists when they were heading to an event of party in favor of the affirmative vote for the investiture of Pedro Sánchez. The tension, as was also seen 300 kilometers away at the Ferraz headquarters, is increasing on the street.
Ximo Puig and his federation colleagues have shown themselves especially involved in supporting the investiture in that consultation that the PSOE held this week among its militancy.
On the opposite side, the Valencian president, Carlos Mazón, has been especially harsh with the negotiations between socialists and independentists, which has allowed him to stand out among the critical voices of the regional barons of his party. Last Friday, the plenary session of the Valencian Government approved a forceful institutional declaration that described the future Amnesty law as "the greatest act of political corruption." Without going any further, the PP of the Valencian Community will star today together with the national president of the popular parties, Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, in a great act against these negotiations.
The positions on the Valencian political board are clear at a time of maximum tension with the right seeking maximum mobilization of the State apparatus against the amnesty, as Enric Juliana warned this Saturday.
In this context, the foreseeable Sánchez Government will have on the table (in addition to conservative discontent) a whole series of Valencian demands that it must address if it does not want to add more fuel to the fire (read today's opinion by Salvador Enguix). One more fact: the PP achieved its best result in regional elections (50.7% in 2011) with Francisco Camps agitating victimhood against the Executive that at that time was led, precisely, by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Furthermore, not only the Valencian PP will put pressure on Sánchez, Compromís also wants to be noticed now that the opposition is beginning to get cold and the PSPV does not want to look like the bad guy after having supported Sánchez in the most complicated moments of his government. The socialists need the support of the Government to reactivate themselves after the defeat of the regional elections.
Valencian demands have been on the table for a long time. The one that generates the most consensus is the reform of the financing model that, finally, this legislature could have a window of opportunity after the first step reached between the PSOE and ERC. However, not even the commitment to extend the forgiveness of part of the FLA debt to the rest of the autonomous communities convinces the Consell, which does not quite trust Sánchez. Distrust between governments will be one of the constants that will mark the new stage that will begin after the investiture; and more so in a climate of tension and tension.
Not a good situation to develop a strategic infrastructure such as the expansion of the port of Valencia, which on Thursday was described by the president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, as "the most urgent project" that the Valencian Community has at the moment. An expansion for which, unlike financing, there is no consensus among the Valencian political class and which will surely become one of the hot potatoes of the future executive.
A highly tense legislature is expected, which will make agreements between the Government and the autonomies governed by the PP difficult, despite the fact that some are key to avoiding the financial asphyxiation that the Valencian Community is experiencing.
