Francisco Camps warns the PP’s interim leadership in Valencia will expire on July 14. He urges a regional congress to resolve the party’s internal crisis. National leaders face pressure to act as local support for Camps grows.
Francisco Camps, former president of the Generalitat, has intensified calls for a regional congress within the Partido Popular (PP) of the Comunitat Valenciana, warning that the party’s interim management body will automatically dissolve on July 14. Citing the party’s statutes, Camps argues that the expiry of the six-month mandate for the current caretaker committee leaves the regional PP at risk of being left without formal structure or leadership.
At a press conference in Valencia, Camps urged the national PP leadership not to leave the regional branch “defenseless and without organization.” He expressed confidence that both party president Alberto Núñez Feijóo and secretary general Miguel Tellado would respect internal rules and convene a congress, rather than appointing a candidate for the regional presidency from Madrid. According to Camps, the party’s statutes require a congress to resolve leadership, and bypassing this process would deepen what he described as an “absolute anomaly.”
The national PP headquarters in Madrid has set July 18 as the date to announce candidates for provincial capitals’ mayoralties, but decisions on regional presidential candidates—including for the Comunitat Valenciana—are expected only after the summer. This delay has fueled uncertainty and frustration among local party members, especially as the next regional elections are scheduled for May 2027.
Camps claims to have secured the backing of 80% of potential delegates for a hypothetical congress, emphasizing that he seeks an open contest rather than a direct nomination. He stated he would accept defeat “with complete sportsmanship” if he lost a fair vote, but insisted that internal debate is essential for party legitimacy. Camps also questioned why some local leaders appear reluctant to face a vote, suggesting that avoiding a congress could signal a lack of confidence in grassroots support.
During his appearance, Camps revealed results from a new poll he commissioned, indicating that while the PP and Vox are gaining ground nationally, the PP in Valencia has been losing support since July 2023, with Vox making inroads. He described himself as “deeply concerned” about the party’s trajectory in the region, warning that continued delays could further erode its position.
Despite repeated appeals, the national leadership has yet to confirm a date for the congress. Camps noted that he had gathered the required 300 endorsements from party members within 48 hours in May, expecting the congress to be called by the end of June. With that deadline now passed, he renewed his demand for “equal footing” with Juanfran Pérez Llorca, the current president of the caretaker committee and sitting president of the Generalitat, and reiterated his intention to stand as a candidate.
Asked about Camps’s challenge, Pérez Llorca responded briefly at an event in Benicàssim, stating that he respects Camps as a former president but declined to comment further on the internal contest or the timing of the congress.
The situation in Valencia echoes broader debates within Spanish politics about party democracy and candidate selection. Recent developments in the region have drawn attention, especially as other political figures, such as Mónica Oltra, have also called for open platforms and broader coalitions in local politics. For example, Compromís’s recent endorsement of Oltra as a mayoral candidate highlights the shifting landscape and the importance of internal party processes ahead of the 2027 elections.
In the context of Spanish party politics, regional congresses are a key mechanism for resolving leadership disputes and ensuring member participation. The outcome in Valencia could set a precedent for other regions facing similar tensions. As the July deadline approaches, all eyes are on the PP’s national leadership to see whether they will allow a contested congress or opt for a top-down appointment, a decision that may have lasting implications for the party’s unity and electoral prospects in the Comunitat Valenciana.
