The European People’s Party (EPP) is considering relocating its upcoming Congress from Valencia to Madrid. This decision comes as the president of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, faces growing criticism over his handling of the recent severe storm and flooding that struck the region. The Congress could also become a target of attacks from supporters of Spain’s Socialist Party (PSOE) and other left-wing groups.
The debate over the relocation has highlighted how a tragedy can be a political weapon. While the PSOE seeks to hold Mazón accountable for the crisis, the PP aims to prevent the European Congress from becoming a platform for that criticism.
The leader of Spain’s centre-right Partido Popular (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has expressed concern that protests and political attacks could overshadow the EPP Congress. “The political climate in Valencia is not the most suitable for hosting an event of this magnitude,” Feijóo said. According to PP sources, the PSOE could use the meeting of European leaders to increase pressure on Mazón, who is a member of the PP, and, by extension, on the PP at the national level.
In October of last year, the Valencia region suffered one of the worst storms in years. The storm, known as a DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels), left more than 200 dead and caused significant material damage. The tragedy has triggered a political crisis, with the national government and the regional administration blaming one another. However, the regional Socialist opposition has criticized Mazón’s management, leading to protests and growing political pressure.
The crisis has not significantly affected the PP’s polling at a national level, but the party’s leader faces a dilemma: if he removes Mazón from office, he would be conceding to the Socialists, who are demanding his resignation; if he does not, the situation in Valencia could deteriorate to the point of benefiting both the Socialists and the right-wing VOX, the PP’s direct competitor.
The fear that protests could escalate with the presence of European leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen or future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been a key factor in reconsidering the venue. “There is a lot at stake, and the political gains will not be very high,” admitted a party source.
Relocating the Congress to Madrid is not without difficulties. In addition to the costs involved in changing venues at the last minute, the PP also faces criticism for its justification of the move. Feijóo argued that the event coincides with a plenary session in the Spanish Parliament, which would make it harder for PP deputies to attend. “If we are not allowed to attend our party’s Congress, it is evident that, as deputies, we must first fulfill our duty in Parliament,” he stated.
However, sources from Parliament have pointed out that the PP has been aware of the parliamentary calendar since February and has not formally requested a modification. This discrepancy has sparked speculation about whether the real reason for the move is political convenience and the intention to avoid a hostile scenario in Valencia.
“Caution requires being present in Parliament on those days,” Feijóo insisted, making it clear that the priority is to prevent the PSOE from using the event to damage the PP’s image.
The PP will make a final decision regarding the venue in the coming days. Meanwhile, the controversy rumbles on, highlighting the deep political divisions in Spain, even amid a humanitarian crisis like the DANA in Valencia.
The management of the tragedy also did not seem to raise much concern in Brussels, since Teresa Ribera, the minister responsible for cleaning the riverbeds—which could have prevented the disaster—was later appointed First Vice President of the Commission for a Clean, Fair, and Equitable Transition and Commissioner for Competition. Ribera was still Minister for Ecological Transition in Spain during the catastrophe. Her poor handling of the events did not prevent her from being approved in the Commission hearings and even supported by the Spanish People’s Party.
