Power in Jaén Loses Ground: Colce Failure and Rising Dissent. For the first time in decades, socialists have lost ground in Jaén. The decision to relocate the military base has sparked a wave of protests and heightened the sense of injustice. Authorities are now pinning their hopes on the new Cetedex project.
In the province of Jaén, where the Socialist Party had dominated for years, the political balance shifted sharply after the government's decision not to locate the Colce military base there. In 2021, thousands of residents took to the streets in protest, accusing the authorities of ignoring the region’s interests and aggravating the economic crisis. The transfer of a major defense facility to Córdoba became a symbol of Jaén’s loss of influence and triggered a strong reaction among both the population and local politicians.
Against the backdrop of this conflict, the Popular Party won for the first time in the 2022 elections, securing six out of eleven seats in the Andalusian parliament from Jaén. Forecasts for the upcoming elections suggest a further weakening of the Socialists’ position. Until recently, the region was considered one of the PSOE’s main strongholds, but now its influence in the Andalusian government has noticeably declined. In response to public dissatisfaction, the authorities announced a new project — the Center for Technological Development and Experiments (Cetedex), which is expected to create about 2,600 jobs and attract over 220 million euros in investment. However, the first phase of the facility will not be ready until at least 2028, and local leaders are already expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of implementation and the lack of support from the regional government.
Economy and infrastructure
Jaén's problems are not limited to the loss of the military base. Year after year, the province remains among the least favored in terms of government investment, income levels, and development rates. The situation is further aggravated by reduced rail connections: Jaén was left off the AVE high-speed train route between Madrid and Granada, heightening feelings of isolation. Against this backdrop, debates on territorial inequality are intensifying, and support is growing for new political movements such as Jaén Merece Más, which focus on defending the region's interests.
According to sociologists, disappointment with traditional parties and a sense of injustice are driving part of the electorate to support populist and regional projects. Jaén Merece Más, despite modest results in previous elections, aims to enter parliament and become a factor in shaping the new government. The movement's candidate, engineer Luis García Milián, is campaigning alone, using symbolic photos against unfinished infrastructure backdrops. However, experts note that the movement's broad ideological base could also be its weakness: some voters may be disappointed by the lack of a clear program.
Demographic decline and political demands
Since 2006, when the last major investment plan Activa Jaén was rolled back, the region has faced a demographic decline: over the past ten years, Jaén has lost more than 40,000 residents and has become the only province in Andalusia with a shrinking population. Local entrepreneurs and politicians call annually for special programs to address territorial imbalances, but most initiatives remain unimplemented. The president of the local business association emphasizes that without honoring budget commitments and launching delayed projects, Jaén will continue to lose ground.
Issues of regional development and investment allocation are becoming increasingly pressing against the backdrop of political changes in other parts of the country. For example, in Murcia, the consequences of the death of Mayor José Ballesta and possible changes in city governance were recently discussed — more on this can be found in the article about Murcia's reaction to Ballesta's departure. For Jaén, however, the key question remains: can new projects and political forces stop the population decline and restore economic stability to the region?
