Pilar Bernabé, candidate for Mayor of Valencia for the PSPV-PSOE, has harshly criticized Mayor María José Catalá for not taking advantage of the debate on the state of the city to present concrete proposals on the problems affecting the neighbors. According to the socialist leader, Catalá prioritized the debate on national politics, especially the role of Pedro Sánchez, instead of addressing fundamental issues such as housing, tourism and coexistence. Bernabé considers that this attitude disregards the real needs of the citizenry and diverts attention from issues that directly impact the daily lives of the neighborhoods.
The housing situation in Valencia, according to Bernabé, is leading to the eviction of neighbors who cannot access decent housing. At the same time, the proliferation of tourist apartments has become an uncontrolled phenomenon, with new accommodations constantly emerging in all neighborhoods. This expansion, he notes, is causing the disappearance of local businesses, as commercial establishments are transformed into tourist accommodations, altering the social and economic fabric of the districts.
Instead of taking effective measures to curb this trend, Bernabé criticizes that Catalá’s response is limited to recommending that homeowners go to court to resolve their conflicts. For the candidate, this solution is insufficient and misunderstood, as it does not address the problem from an urban planning or prevention perspective. In addition, she has highlighted that the City Council has not promoted the implementation of a tourist tax, a tool that could generate income to improve services and neighborhoods affected by tourist pressure.
Bernabé has also questioned the tone of certain statements by Catalá, which, according to her, contribute to polarizing the debate and diverting attention from real solutions. She has pointed out expressions that, in her opinion, promote stereotypes and social divisions, moving away from the objective of promoting coexistence. The candidate has insisted that Valencia needs management focused on the common good, with concrete proposals for housing, tourism planning and the recovery of neighborhoods.
Although he recognizes that the previous government, of which he was part, established bases for regulating tourism, he believes that it is now necessary to update those rules in light of the evolution of the phenomenon. For Bernabé, the city is not only paralyzed, but is in a state of increasing collapse. He has urged Catalá to stop using Valencia as a stage for national political debates and to focus on governing with a local vision, with real solutions and not with discourses that are far from the daily reality of the neighbors.