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Orihuela Costa and La Manga join forces to demand independence
Neighbourhood associations and political parties in Alicante and Murcia feel neglected by their local governments
In Orihuela Costa, the idea of breaking away from Orihuela city and becoming independent is gaining traction again, and now there’s support from the Region of Murcia for a formal separation.
Last week, members of the Unidos por la Costa neighbourhood association met with reps from the Entre Dos Mares Pro Ayuntamiento group at the Orihuela Chamber of Commerce Co-working building on the coast. The Entre Dos Mares group is pushing for La Manga to become independent from the municipalities of Cartagena and San Javier.
During the meeting, both groups talked about the common issues they face, like being far from the main decision-making centres, not getting enough tax money back in the form of investments and lacking basic public services. They also discussed the summer crowds and unfulfilled election promises, which are making people increasingly unhappy. 
The idea of independence isn’t new in Orihuela Costa. According to local data, the area generates about 50 million euros in annual municipal income, but residents feel this money isn’t being used to improve their infrastructure and services and many people in Orihuela Costa think the Orihuela Town Hall doesn’t care about their needs. The town hall is about 30 kilometres away, which adds to the feeling of being neglected.
Technically, Orihuela Costa meets the requirements for becoming independent, as it’s a separate population centre. However, there are big political and social hurdles.
For example, any segregation plan needs to be approved by an absolute majority by the Orihuela City Council, which seems unlikely given the amount of money the coast generates for the municipal coffers. The new municipality would also need to prove it can manage its finances and services, which requires detailed and expensive reports.
Another big challenge is getting enough support from residents. Unidos por la Costa estimates they need at least 15,000 signatures from registered residents to back the proposal. But low voter turnout makes this tough.
Despite these challenges, Unidos por la Costa believes segregation could be a way to improve things in Orihuela Costa. They’re also considering other options, like forming a Minor Local Entity (which is smaller than the Orihuela City Council) or creating a group to run in the next elections to ensure the coast’s needs are represented.
It’s worth noting that in the last elections, the Partido para el Independencia de Orihuela Costa (PIOC) won in Orihuela Costa but didn’t get enough votes overall to have a seat in the main council. The Claro party, also from the coast, did manage to get a seat at one point, but its leader, Antonio Cerdán, broke ties with the ruling party, accusing them of breaking their agreement.
Even with all the difficulties, Unidos por la Costa believes the coast has the resources, size and population to become a viable, independent municipality that can make its own decisions and address the community’s needs.
Images: Unidos por la Costa
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