Torrevieja offers continuity, while uncertainty surrounds candidates in Orihuela and Almoradí
With eight months remaining before the 2027 regional and municipal elections, Alicante province’s main political parties are beginning to assemble their candidate lists. In the Vega Baja, Torrevieja appears largely settled, while Orihuela and Almoradí remain among the municipalities facing the greatest uncertainty.
The Partido Popular enters the campaign with the advantage of controlling many of the province’s largest councils. In Torrevieja, Mayor Eduardo Dolón is widely expected to seek re-election, although his candidacy has not yet been formally confirmed.
The PP leadership is expected to prioritise continuity in municipalities where it has established mayors and strong local organisations. Its national headquarters will decide candidates in the largest cities, while regional and provincial committees will oversee the remaining appointments between September and early 2027.
Orihuela presents a more complicated picture. Mayor Pepe Vegara may seek another term, but his ongoing legal situation could influence the party’s eventual decision. The PP has not publicly questioned his position, although Orihuela is regarded as one of the sensitive candidacies still requiring resolution.
At regional level, the party is waiting for national leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to formally endorse Juanfran Pérez Llorca as its candidate for president of the Generalitat Valenciana. His appointment would allow the PP to accelerate decisions across Alicante province.
The party believes it is entering the election cycle from a stronger and more stable position than in 2023, when the incorporation of former Ciudadanos representatives caused damaging internal disputes in several municipalities.
Socialists Confirm Soler in Torrevieja
The PSPV-PSOE has moved more quickly to select its candidates. Diana Morant has already been confirmed as its candidate for the Generalitat, while Bárbara Soler will head the socialist list in Torrevieja.
Soler is among more than a dozen mayoral candidates recently approved without the need for internal ballots. The party hopes that confirming its candidates early will give local organisations more time to prepare their campaigns and avoid prolonged internal divisions.
The contrast with Orihuela is striking. Socialist primaries there have been suspended indefinitely following a complaint to the party’s Ethics Commission.
Luis Quesada and Antonio Zapata had been preparing to contest the nomination, having already fought a closely run battle for the local party leadership in 2025. The latest dispute reportedly arose after Quesada informed members of his intention to stand, although his supporters deny that any rules were broken.
Until the complaint is resolved, the PSPV cannot confirm who will challenge for Orihuela City Council in 2027.
Almoradí is another unresolved municipality. Its socialist organisation is currently managed by an interim committee, giving senior party officials the option of directly appointing a candidate. Alternatively, a selection process could be held later in the autumn.
The PSPV says it is further ahead than it was at the same stage before the 2023 elections. Nevertheless, the disputes in Orihuela and uncertainty in Almoradí show that significant local difficulties remain.
Compromís Still Negotiating Election Formula
Compromís has yet to clarify many of its municipal candidacies. Its immediate priority is deciding whether it will contest the elections under its existing banner or broaden its lists to include Podemos, Esquerra Unida and independent candidates.
Joan Baldoví is the likely candidate for president of the Generalitat, but negotiations continue between the coalition’s principal partners, Més and Iniciativa. The talks concern candidate rankings, organisational control and how much representation should be given to possible electoral allies.
No significant Vega Baja candidacies have yet been announced. The coalition’s internal polling suggests it could challenge the PSPV for second place regionally and increase its representation in Alicante province, although these projections have not been independently verified.
Compromís says it wants to avoid divisive primaries, but agreement is still needed on its electoral brand, alliances and candidate lists.
Vox Awaits Instructions from Madrid
Vox also has yet to reveal its leading candidates in Alicante province, including its nominee for the Generalitat.
As in previous elections, the final decisions will be taken by the party’s national leadership in Madrid. Provincial organisations can submit proposals, but the national executive retains control over appointments and may alter local recommendations.
That means candidates for Torrevieja, Orihuela and other Vega Baja municipalities could remain unknown until shortly before the election campaign. In 2023, some Vox candidates were selected only two months before polling day.
The party argues that voters support its national programme rather than individual personalities. It is relying heavily on Santiago Abascal’s national profile and believes it could secure three seats in Alicante Provincial Council.
Across the Vega Baja, the emerging electoral picture is therefore uneven. Torrevieja appears set for a contest between two familiar figures, with Dolón expected to represent the PP and Soler already confirmed for the PSPV. Orihuela remains far less predictable, with questions surrounding both Vegara’s future and the suspended socialist selection process.
Almoradí also awaits a socialist decision, while Compromís and Vox have yet to reveal most of their local plans. The race towards May 2027 may have begun, but several of the Vega Baja’s most important pieces are still missing.
