Feijóo announces that Mazón will step down as president of the Valencian PP when there is a change in the Valencian Government

MadridThe day after Carlos Mazón appear before the DANA committee in CongressAlberto Núñez Feijóo has announced that he will step down as president of the Valencian PP "in the coming weeks." As the PP leader explained to the media this Tuesday, the current acting president of the Generalitat "made his position available to the party" when he submitted his resignation two weeks ago. "He notified me that he felt he should leave the party presidency, and I agree," said Feijóo, who has waited for his resignation to be formalized after the investiture of his successor in the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca. It will be then that the "appropriate transition" within the party will take place. In this regard, Pérez Llorca, spokesperson for the PP group in the Valencian Parliament (Les Corts) and secretary general of the PP in the Valencian Community, will register his candidacy this Wednesday to be invested as president of the Generalitat, replacing Mazón. This was announced on Tuesday by sources within the People's Party (PP), who also indicated that the party group will meet tomorrow, the official deadline for submitting candidacies. The announcement that Pérez Llorca will formalize his candidacy comes without any known outcome of negotiations with Vox, whose votes are essential to elect a new president of the Generalitat. "I know that the negotiations are being conducted in a respectful atmosphere," Feijóo stated, adding that they are being managed from the Valencian Community. For Vox, their spokesperson in Congress, Pepa Millán, said they have the "will to reach an agreement that benefits Valencians." However, Millán emphasized that Pérez Llorca's registration of his candidacy "does not mean that anything is finalized," but rather that it is being done because the deadline has passed. On Thursday morning, the board of the Valencian Parliament will meet to set the date for the investiture session.

The organic relief

By Feijóo's decision, Pérez Llorca will replace Mazón as party leader without a party congress or the appointment of an interim leadership. The new congress could be held in the fall of 2026, once the party has assessed whether Pérez Llorca has managed to revitalize the party in the Valencian Community and whether he is a strong candidate for the 2027 regional elections. If not, the most likely candidate would be the mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá. It is common practice in the People's Party (PP) for the regional leader to be the same person who holds the presidency of the regional government or who is running as a candidate.

The move has been questioned by Sumar because Mazón retains his seat in the Valencian Parliament (Les Corts). "Feijóo must explain very clearly why Mazón cannot preside over the Valencian PP but can remain a member of parliament," said the Second Vice President of the Spanish Government, Yolanda Díaz, in a post on Bluesky. Remaining as a member of parliament allows Mazón to maintain parliamentary immunity in the event he is investigated for his handling of the DANA storm in the case opened in the Catarroja court, which is already investigating former Emergency Minister Salomé Pradas.

A "circus" of an appearance

Twenty-four hours later, yesterday's appearance by Mazón is still causing a stir. Feijóo defended the acting Valencian president, saying he "has assumed his responsibilities at the highest level" and criticized the fact that no PSOE politician has done so. "My party is focused on reconstruction," said the Popular Party leader, who criticized the left-wing deputies for turning the committee into a "circus." Meanwhile, Compromís deputy Alberto Ibáñez, one of the parliamentarians who questioned Mazón, explained that his party will consider taking him to court because he "lies blatantly." The Valencian Socialists have already announced a lawsuit for "the crime of perjury."