Ferraz yesterday left it to Ximo Puig to announce that this Saturday he will step aside to facilitate the renewal of the leadership of the Valencian PSOE. The still general secretary of the Valencian socialists and former president of the Generalitat will clear up the mystery about his future this Saturday and will determine the roadmap for the coming months. But it will do so under the watchful eye of the Secretary of Organization of the PSOE, Santos Cerdán, who will be present at the momentous national committee.
The presence in the conclave of the all-powerful plumber from Ferraz – he is, in fact, the negotiator with Carles Puigdemont – is not coincidental.. The sources consulted agree that the objective of the meeting is to send an internal message: the decision on the future of the Valencian party is “agreed upon” between Ferraz and Puig himself.. In other words, there is a pact between Sanchismo and Ximismo for the succession in the Valencian PSOE and this will be made explicit this Saturday, which should be enough to nip any internal war in the bud.
In this sense, socialist sources suggest that the presence of the Minister of Science, Diana Morant, in the highest management body between congresses will also be significant.. Considered by many to be the favorite of PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez to succeed Puig at the head of the Valencian federation, Morant has confirmed her attendance at the national committee.. The former mayor of Gandía, who was head of the PSOE list for the province of Valencia in the last elections of 23-J, has never commented on whether when the time came she would take the step of running for the General Secretariat of the PSPV-PSOE. But her confirmation by Sánchez as the only Valencian minister for the new legislature once again put all the spotlight on her.
Morant has against him that he enjoys little organic power in Valencian socialism. On the contrary, in the party it is considered a “neutral” profile that can bring together the different socialist families to avoid the fratricidal battle.. After all, she was once Puig's bet, which helped her climb to Moncloa.
Socialist sources consider that his name could make Carlos Fernández Bielsa or Alejandro Soler, the provincial leaders of Valencia and Alicante who have hinted at their aspirations, take a step back.. It is understood that Ferraz's endorsement is more than enough to not challenge the management. Now, if this endorsement is not as explicit as it could be and leaves the way open, the succession race will not stop.. This is the opinion of those around Bielsa, who just yesterday showed muscle in an event with a hundred mayors that included Cerdán and Puig.. In his speech, Bielsa called for integration: a project “where we all fit.”
Sánchez has already been in charge of compensating with state secretaries two Ximists who were rumored to be in the succession race: Arcadi España and Rebeca Torró. And another close to Puig, the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, has just been confirmed in a highly visible position as the main socialist striker against the popular Carlos Mazón.
In this way, Puig faces the transition in the game with his pawns placed. Their purpose, as they recognize in those around them, was to protect their own succession to avoid opening up the party.. Hence, the option that wins integers is that of an extraordinary congress for the first quarter of 2024. At the moment, Puig is already talking about a “new stage.”