The socialist Mayor of Paiporta, Maribel Albalat, resigned from her post on Thursday due to health reasons. After months of physical and mental exhaustion following the devastating flood in the Valencian town last autumn, she is withdrawing from public life. Albalat, who has been at the helm of the Consistory for ten years, is leaving office due to a medical indication, as she announced in a message addressed to residents.
The tragic DANA catastrophe, which flooded the Barranco del Poyo and caused the death of 46 people, marked a profound turning point in Albalat’s life and in the recent history of the municipality of L’Horta Sud. The mayor experienced this drama firsthand when her own home was flooded and she heard the desperate cries for help from trapped neighbours whom she could not assist. This experience, she admits, has deeply affected her.
In her farewell statement, Albalat emphasized that it is a pause and not a definitive resignation: “This is not a farewell, it is a reunion. I need to take care of myself, and for that, even if only temporarily, I need to step away from the institutional front.” The office of mayor will provisionally be held by the current Deputy Mayor Vicent Císcar, pending the municipal plenum’s appointment of her successor.
“I leave with a clear conscience. I have given my best during a decade of public service, always with full dedication and with the sole aim of improving the lives of my neighbours,” Albalat stated. She thanked her team and the citizens of Paiporta, emphasizing that she is leaving the city council in the hands “of a strong group, ready and committed to the progressive project we have built together.”
“I have to make a painful but unavoidable decision: to stop and prioritize my health. Politics requires dedication, but also balance, and now it’s my turn to take care of myself,” she calmly explained. Although her resignation came unexpectedly, it was met with understanding by her political environment and many citizens who acknowledge her commitment even in the darkest moments. It should be noted, however, that since this dramatic event, a large portion of residents had called for her resignation due to her ineffective leadership both during and after the event.
