THE RETURN OF THE PP

LAST Sunday’s local and regional elections have left a very different political map in the Valencian Community.

The conservative Partido Popular (Popular Party, or PP) returns to the Generalitat eight years after losing it to the three ­ way left ­ wing coalition led by the PSOE’s Ximo Puig with the support of Compromís and Unides Podem, the latter of which has been left out of the regional government following Sunday’s results.

But the 40 seats obtained by the PP’s Carlos Mazón did not grant the conservatives an absolute majority, meaning they will have to rely on the 13 seats of far ­ right party Vox in order to form a government.

The PP also claimed all three provin ­ cial capitals, with Luis Barcala winning four extra seats in Alicante City and María José Catalá winning Valencia but also needing the support of Vox to form her council.

In Benidorm, Toni Perez won an extra three seats and will govern for the third consecutive time, with the PP also winning in Villajoyosa, La Nucia, Calpe and Teulada.

The socialists fared slightly better locally. The PSOE’s Vicent Grimalt won in Denia and will govern with Compromís, José Chulvi won once again in Javea but lost his absolute majority, Vicente Arques broke his own record in Alfaz del Pi winning two more seats and Enrique Moll won in Pego without a majority.