María José Catalá has on her back the pressure to recover for the PP the city of Valencia, a symbol of the hegemonic power that the party held until 2015. Because a victory of this caliber would allow Alberto Núñez Feijóo to confirm his message that the "beginning of the end of Sanchismo" is near. But, in addition, it would mean snatching Compromís, one of Yolanda Díaz's main allies for her Sumar platform, which is her great fiefdom. If successful, Catalá would fulfill her dream of becoming the successor of Rita Barberá.

Do you share the criticism levelled by national leaders of your party that Valencia has been "villaged"? Valencia has lost a lot of positioning on the national scene as a great reference of an attractive city for investment, a competitive city from the fiscal point of view or a city that attracts projects. In that sense, the management of the left is dwarfing Valencia, a city that has a much larger vocation. In fact, he has said that he aspires to surpass Barcelona. How? The Barcelona of today is not that of 92. It was cosmopolitan and has become a troubled city in general. In this context, and taking into account the strategic location of Valencia and its medium size, it can be attractive to concentrate all those projects that at this moment nobody is considering going to Barcelona. If we make a good fiscal policy by lowering taxes and if we do not close doors as we have done with the America's Cup or the northern expansion of the port, it is clear that we can and must reach that position of second city in Spain. I want to compete with Malaga and Alicante for cultural and innovation projects. And I want to compete with Madrid in the fiscal field. He wants to appoint Rita Barberá honorary mayor of Valencia, but the PP turned its back on her in her last years. Were they wrong? In the PP we were unfair to her, but in the context of that time another path seemed difficult. Over time we have realized that we have been much more sensitive to media pressure than the left. I have seen the left during these eight years with very hard cases, such as that of the brother of President Ximo Puig collecting subsidies or that of Mónica Oltra accused of allegedly covering up the abuse of a minor under guardianship. The lesson would be to defend our own and act on a case-by-case basis, without applying general rules. Above all, believe in the presumption of innocence. Ciudadanos is presented to these elections when the polls leave him out of the City Council of Valencia. Can this end up thwarting political change in Valencia? I hope not. We, in that sense, are calling for a useful vote. The need for change in Valencia is so urgent that I call on citizens to reflect and vote usefully. No vote should be thrown away or wasted. He has appealed even to the left-wing voter. Why do you think you can trust the PP? Because I know many socialists who do not agree with Sanchismo and are ashamed, who see that local management is nothing more than succumbing to the whims of Compromís. I also know people from Compromís who had expectations that have not been met. The management of Mayor Joan Ribó is ideologized and part-time. I propose a model of a city that lowers taxes and is proud of itself. I don't just ask the center-right people to vote. I ask people to reflect on the results: in a context in which housing has become one of the fundamental axes of the campaign, in eight years only 14 social housing units have been built. If the left did not add up and the PP could govern as the most voted list, would it leave Vox out of the local government? I have to see myself on that stage. The PP is the only political formation that comes out to win. I want a large enough majority to govern alone. The decision on agreements that canWhat would be their 'red lines' to negotiate with Vox? I have three: feminism, the autonomist vision, because I am not willing to give up one millimeter to self-government, and the European vision. The PP deserves to win and govern and I do not contemplate that scenario. In any case, I will always be at the disposal of the party, but at this moment all the numbers give us as the most voted party and with possibilities of governing. There are those who bet on you as president of the Valencian PP if you manage to be mayor and Carlos Mazón does not manage to be president of the Generalitat. Would you take that step if asked to do so by the party? I have always said that I will be with Carlos Mazón, in any context and at any time. He's my president. This project is of both. In addition, I think the city of Valencia will respond and the province of Alicante is an electoral cannon for us. Honestly, we don't have to be afraid. And María José Catalá is not seen outside the City Council of Valencia.

ID

Valencia, 42 years old. Married, mother of a girl and pregnant with what will be her second child. She is a lawyer and doctor in Constitutional Law and at the age of 30 she became Minister of Education of the Generalitat.

  • PP
  • Valence
  • Barcelona
  • Compromís
  • Vox
  • María José Català
  • Rita Barbera
  • Joan Ribó
  • Add
  • Alberto Núñez Feijóo
  • Ximo Puig
  • America's Cup
  • Malaga

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