Carlos Mazón, the president of Spain’s Valencia region, has resigned following months of pressure concerning his administration’s response to devastating flash floods that occurred last year. The floods tragically resulted in the deaths of 229 people in the Valencia region and eight in neighboring areas, marking one of Spain’s worst natural disasters in decades.
Much of the public outcry in Valencia was directed at Mazón, with many holding him and his government accountable for the scale of the tragedy. Investigations revealed that the regional president was at a restaurant with a journalist for nearly four hours while the floods were unfolding, and he missed crucial emergency meetings during that critical period. Furthermore, Mazón’s government faced criticism for not issuing an emergency alert to residents’ phones until after 8 PM, by which time numerous lives had already been lost.
Acknowledging his shortcomings, Mazón stated, “I can’t go on anymore… I know that I made mistakes, I acknowledge it and I will live with them for the rest of my life.” He admitted that he should have cancelled his schedule on the day of the disaster to focus on managing the crisis, emphasizing that his actions were not driven by political calculation or bad faith.
Public opinion polls consistently showed that a significant majority of Valencians desired Mazón’s resignation due to his handling of the floods. Monthly protests, some drawing as many as 50,000 people, have been held demanding his departure. Mazón had also reduced his public appearances recently due to public backlash.
The situation was further exacerbated when Mazón attended a memorial service for the victims on the first anniversary of the tragedy. His presence angered relatives of those who died, and he was reportedly heckled during the ceremony.
Mazón’s resignation has been seen as a move to alleviate political pressure on his party, the People’s Party (PP), as his unpopularity was perceived to be affecting the party’s electoral prospects nationally. However, his replacement is complicated by the PP’s reliance on the support of the far-right Vox party in the region.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the PP, who is believed to have influenced Mazón’s decision, welcomed the resignation. Feijóo defended Mazón, stating, “He made mistakes, yes, he also apologized and acknowledged them today, but no national emergency depends on just one person.”