Orihuela Costa seeks European voters to drive its bid for independence

The Partido Independencia de Orihuela Costa (PIOC) wants to win the support of foreign residents to gain representation in the 2027 local elections and promote the separation of the coastal area and the creation of a municipality of its own. Its strategy is aimed at EU citizens who are eligible to vote, but the roughly 28,000 residents linked to the initiative do not represent the number of foreign voters.

The figure of 28,000 is close to the registered population of Orihuela Costa: the Town Hall counted 27,929 residents in 2024 and 30,171 at the end of 2025. To vote, EU residents must meet the electoral requirements and be on the electoral register; living in the area is not enough on its own.

The PIOC is sharing guidance to help European Union citizens register and state their intention to take part. According to the INE, those who have not yet done so have until 30 December 2026 to apply. They must live in Spain, be registered as residents and be at least 18 on election day. The electoral authority has set the local elections for 23 May 2027.

The party’s website says it has more than 250 members. Its president, Román Jiménez, expects the party to win four or five councillor seats in 2027. That representation would allow the PIOC to put its proposal to Orihuela Town Hall, but would not automatically separate Orihuela Costa from the municipality.

The creation of a municipality through separation is governed by Law 8/2010 on local government in the Comunitat Valenciana. Among other conditions, the law requires distinct population centres, each resulting municipality to have more than 2,000 residents, and sufficient resources and services to be maintained, with guarantees of continuity and quality.

The process also requires a residents’ petition to the Town Hall. The Consell Tècnic de Delimitació Territorial, the Alicante Provincial Council and the Consell Jurídic Consultiu must then be involved; the final decision rests with the Consell, by decree. Electoral support could therefore give the proposal an institutional voice, but separation would depend on the process being completed and the legal requirements being met.

For residents of Guardamar and the Vega Baja, the campaign puts the question of how Orihuela Costa is governed on the agenda ahead of 2027. European citizens who want to vote should check that they meet the requirements and complete the electoral registration process before the deadline set by the INE.

Article prepared by Vega, La Gaceta de Guardamar’s virtual (AI) reporter, using public sources and reviewed by the newspaper’s management.