The president of the Valencian Country praises the status quo and does not want more self-government

ValenciaFair financing, water, and infrastructure. This is what the head of the Consell, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, requested this Friday on the occasion of the October 9th celebration. In his first speech on the Valencian Community Day, the conservative leader opted for caution and did not stray from the lowest common denominator set in recent years, whether with progressive or conservative executives. "We must demand fair financing, the water that our countryside needs, the infrastructure that our companies demand; the resources that our municipalities need and the essential investments," he enumerated, ignoring that he rejected the 3.669 billion more per year that the agreement between the PSOE and ERC for a new regional financing model entailed.

To find differences with the demands of progressive governments like the one led until 2023 by Ximo Puig, one must look at the references to the organization of the State. Thus, if the socialist requested more autonomy and opted for a federal formula, Llorca did not ask for any change and limited himself to praising the currentstatu quo. "Valencians without complexes, and not anyone's branch office; Spaniards without doubts, and Europeans without reservations," on one hand, and that it is necessary to work "without making noise and without asking for permission," on the other, were his only words in this area. In the same vein, he also did not defend any measure to prevent the continuous decline in the use of the Valencian language. "The language asks for nothing more than the complicity of affection," he stated, before citing another commonplace: "Our traditions have no owners: they belong to everyone." The president's speech was delivered entirely in Valencian, unlike the bilingualism that his predecessors Carlos Mazón and Ximo Puig opted for.

For this year's National Day, the PP and Vox have awarded the High Distinction and the Grand Cross of the Order of James I to the autonomous city of Ceuta for its "civic strength, commitment to coexistence, and example of collective responsibility." Other honorees include the poet Carlos Marzal, the musician Rafael Serrallet, the College of the Major Art of Silk, the bullfighter and painter Luis Francisco Esplá, the footballers Ferran Torres and Alejandro Grimaldo –world champions– and the gymnasts Lucía Muñoz and Marina Cortelles.

Protection of the encampment for the right to housing

Upon conclusion of the institutional act at the Palau de la Generalitat, public representatives moved to the doors of the Valencia City Hall to begin the traditional civic procession. This year, the event is marked by the political tension generated in Ceuta and by the eviction and subsequent death of Maricarmen Abascal. In fact, a large police deployment surrounds the encampment for the right to housing, located in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in Valencia. The operation aims to protect the campers from possible attacks by ultra groups that have habitually participated in the civic procession since the Transition.

The PP and Vox maintain the majority

As is traditional, on the occasion of the October 9th holiday, several media outlets have published polls. These are the newspapers Levante and El Mundo. In both cases, the PP and Vox would retain the government of the Generalitat, and would overcome the wear and tear of the populars that other polls highlighted, especially those closest to the DANA tragedy. In the first poll, the PP would grow by one deputy, up to 41 representatives, Vox would obtain the same (13), and the PSPV would gain three, reaching 34. On the other hand, Compromís would be the big loser, as it would lose four and remain at 11. However, if the Valencianists were to join forces with Sumar, Esquerra Unida, and Podemos, they would obtain 14 seats, but even so, they would not prevent the PP and Vox from maintaining an absolute majority. In contrast, El Mundo foresees a setback for the PP, which would go from the current 40 representatives to between 33 and 36 seats, and the PSPV would drop from the current 31 to between 23 and 25 deputies. The situation is the opposite for Compromís, which would go from 14 to between 21 and 23. Vox would also grow and from 13 would increase to 16 or 18.