Mazón has not thrown in the towel and has not ruled out running for reelection.

ValenciaThe president of the Valencian regional government, Carlos Mazón, is increasingly comfortable in his role as leader of the post-DANA reconstruction. He smiles and has put aside the dejected appearance he displayed for weeks after the catastrophe, even in response to repeated questions from journalists about whether he will be re-elected as the Valencian People's Party's candidate for the Generalitat.

"I run for reconstruction every day. This is my goal, I have no other," he declared before the media. Regarding speculation about his remaining in office, he described it as "a guess." Mazón's career within the Popular Party, therefore, could be extended if he can maintain a minimum of institutional stability with the reconstruction project and resist the polls.

If that were the case, the current leader of the Popular Party could be reinstated for another term, as the PP's narrative, also from Madrid, has been that Mazón should remain in office to manage the reconstruction and that his future depended on whether or not he was successful in this endeavor. A condition that also tightens the room for maneuver for the state leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo: if he replaces him with another candidate, it would be tantamount to acknowledging that the PP not only mismanaged the DANA but also what came after. For this reason, and also because of the stability Mazón has gained after agreeing on a budget with Vox, the Valencian president is not yet throwing in the towel; on the contrary.

The beginning of the end

The perspective of the Valencian president, therefore, has changed a lot in less than a year. Less than a month after October 29th, the day of the DANA, the continuation of the mandate seemed impossible after the social indignation provoked by his handling of the tragedy, especially due to his delay in showing up at the Cecopio after the famous Ventorro lunch. At that time, Mazón assured that he would not seek reelection if he was not able to carry out the reconstruction.

The central leadership of the Popular Party did not support him, but they did not completely turn their backs on him either. The president of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, began with a political strategy that consisted of attacking the central government but without directly defending the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, but now he has modified his speech by defend him even in front of the victims of DANA, with whom he met on Wednesday.

In this meeting between those affected by the DANA tragedy, the Horta Sud-València Association of Victims of DANA, and Feijóo, the PP leader had to face the big question of whether Mazón will be the face of the Valencian People's Party (PP) in the next electoral cycle. His response was that he couldn't dismiss him, and that the management of DANA wasn't just the responsibility of the president of the Generalitat, but also of the Spanish government. At the end of this meeting, Feijóo closed ranks with the Valencian People's Party (PP), led by Mazón.

Electoral Competition

"They said I wouldn't make it to Christmas, or to the Fallas, or to the Bonfires of Alicante, that I wouldn't have a budget, and then that I wouldn't make it to August," Mazón said this Monday regarding the news that have been emerging about his continued presence. He has also been helped by the scandals surrounding the Socialist Party of Valencia (PSPV), with José Luis Ábalos at the center of the Koldo case.

Despite his confidence in continuing and being able to run for a second term, his position will also depend on the electoral polls. Should the succession debate begin, there are two names on the table: María José Català, current mayor of Valencia, and Francisco Camps, who has announced that she wants to run for leader of the Popular Party in the Valencian Country.

The current mayor of Valencia emerged as one of the most likely alternatives to replace Mazón in the position, although she stated in a public speech that there is "no" possibility that she could succeed the current president of the Generalitat, as she is interested in continuing to run for mayor.

The resurgence of Francisco Camps has been the other side of the coin because it has stirred up the hitherto calm waters of the Valencian PP. The former president declared war on Mazón after being acquitted of dozens of corruption cases during his term. It does not seem that he has much of a chance, since his decision to run for president of the Valencian PP has occurred despite the party's regional and state opposition.

To fully determine the direction of his political career, Mazón will have to overcome two crucial dates: October 9th, Valencian Country Day, and October 29th, the first anniversary of the DANA. It will be later that Feijóo, from Génova, will decide what to do with his Valencian leader through a congress scheduled for spring of next year.