Camps shakes up Mazón's succession

ValenciaIf Alberto Núñez Feijóo hoped that the Valencian federation would stop causing him headaches after the tumultuous replacement of Carlos Mazón, former president Francisco Camps has dashed those hopes. The former head of the Valencian government wants to lead the party again and be its electoral figurehead, and he has seen the perfect opportunity: the recent appointment of Juanfran Pérez Llorca as president of the GeneralitatHe believes the politician from Finestrat is a weak leader, lacking both the legitimacy of the ballot box and the support of the party's members. That's why he's demanding that the rank and file be given a voice at a party congress. His potential rivals—Lorca himself and the mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, who are the frontrunners—remain silent and loyal to the party headquarters in Madrid. At the party headquarters on Génova Street, they're asking for time. First, they want to consolidate Llorca's leadership, then assess whether he can stop the flow of votes to Vox, and if not, promote Catalá as his replacement or evaluate whether there's a better candidate among their list of mayors. The person most afraid of Feijóo's influence is Camps. He believes his chances lie in stirring up debate and giving the grassroots a voice. He's even calling for a congress "on the American model," allowing supporters to vote, as well as members who have stopped paying their dues. He justifies this deference by saying they have been "very neglected" in recent months. He said so last week at the presentation of his campaign team, which does not include any prominent leaders. In fact, the most relevant figure is Inés Peiró, a councilwoman from the municipality of La Pobla de Vallbona. A person with no influence within the party. "Our party is now an inverted pyramid with few members and many positions," the former president complained.

The large media presence at the event meant that Camps had to answer some uncomfortable questions. For example, whether he represents a problem for his party: "If anything, for some people in the PP," he replied. The former president's reproaches in Lorca also drew attention, given that he emphasized that the current head of the Valencian government was Mazón's "right-hand man" and that he only reached the party's general secretaryship thanks to the politician from Alicante, even though he is now trying to distance himself. Camps elaborated on his criticism by recalling his university years, when he combined his law studies with a job. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of a solid education, a point all the journalists agreed was a dig at Lorca, who lacks a university degree.

At the heart of Camps's struggle lies his conviction that he feels slighted by both the Valencian and national leadership. He complains that they don't call him, that they don't treat him with the institutional respect he deserves, and, above all, that they haven't reinstated him after his acquittal on the charges. influence peddling and malfeasanceMoreover, his ambition continues to grow. Just a few months ago, he claimed he only aspired to the party leadership, but now he's added the candidacy for president of the Generalitat to his list of aspirations. This voraciousness makes his colleagues uncomfortable. A prominent representative of the People's Party admitted as much in an interview with ARA. "No one currently holding a position of responsibility values his candidacy," this leader stated. The high-ranking official also downplayed the support the former head of the Consell enjoys, including that of former presidents of the provincial councils of Valencia and Castellón, Alfonso Rus and Carlos Fabra, and former mayor of Alicante, Sonia Castedo. "His candidacy would gain momentum if he had the support of mayors, councilors, and members of parliament. But he doesn't have them, and it seems he's not looking for them, because his project is all about him," he emphasized. Furthermore, he criticizes Camps for attacking Lorca, when "everything depends on Feijóo, who is the one who appointed the new president and who will decide whether he will be the candidate in the next elections or whether an alternative will have to be found." What the Galician politician has already decided is that the new head of the Consell will also be appointed president of the PP. This will happen in the coming days or weeks. After that, we will have to wait. If Lorca doesn't get the green light from the national party headquarters in Madrid to head the ticket, the best positioned is María José Catalá. The mayor of Valencia says she has two young children and is very comfortable in the City Hall, but if the national leadership backs her, the decision could be different. The president of the Valencia Provincial Council, Vicent Mompó, doesn't seem to be among the contenders. Feijóo was very angry that the Valencian PP nominated him for 2027—after Lorca's interim term—without his authorization. Therefore, he now seems like a spent force. But you never know. "In politics, six months or a year is an eternity," remark popular sources within the ARA.