Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has received a letter from the associations representing victims of the DANA floods that devastated the Valencian Community last October.
On October 29, 2024, the DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) floods resulted in 224 fatalities, extensive infrastructural destruction, and profound physical and mental health impacts. According to analysts, “political neglect, systemic corruption, and historical policy legacies exacerbated the disaster’s consequences, including “corruption-driven urbanization of flood-prone areas during Spain’s real estate boom.” A systematic reduction of critical emergency infrastructure and inadequate emergency response protocols worsened the impact of the natural disaster.
In the letter, the victims request a meeting with VDL during her upcoming visit to Valencia. This was confirmed on Thursday by a spokeswoman for the European Commission, who declined to say whether the meeting would take place, stating only that “for now” there is “no further information to share regarding the president’s schedule for next week.”
Von der Leyen is scheduled to attend the European People’s Party (EPP) Congress in Valencia, which will take place on April 29th and 30th. The event will bring together the group’s top European leaders and may become a political liability for Carlos Mazón, president of the Valencian regional government, who has faced sharp criticism over his handling of the disaster. Six months on, the associations claim many families are still without resources to rebuild their lives, and that Mazón—himself a member of the Popular Party—has neither provided a convincing explanation nor acknowledged any mistakes.
Another factor further complicates the situation: Teresa Ribera, who was Minister for Ecological Transition at the time of the disaster, was heavily criticized in Spain for her inaction during the emergency. Her subsequent appointment as a European Commissioner—despite never appearing before parliament or taking responsibility—sparked a national political scandal. The Popular Party, which had initially condemned her, ended up supporting her appointment on the condition that she resign if indicted, a concession that, in practice, amounted to no meaningful obstacle.
In this context, it is highly unlikely that von der Leyen will meet with the victims. Any gesture of support could increase pressure on her own political group or on Ribera, whose backing from the European socialists is key to maintaining von der Leyen’s leadership in Brussels. Even if the meeting were to happen, it is expected to have no real political consequences.
In their letter, the victims outline the dire circumstances they continue to face: countless families remain homeless, with businesses and livelihoods destroyed, and vital infrastructure yet to be restored. They are calling on the European Union for direct assistance to speed up the recovery process and help prevent future catastrophes. The signatories also denounce the many “failures” that occurred during and after the DANA, the complete “lack of accountability,” and the “silence” from institutions at both regional and European levels. They are particularly critical of the fact that no European Commission representative has yet visited the affected area.
