Communist Party of the Valencian Country
Encyclopedia
Communist Party of the Valencian Country (in Valencian
: Partit Comunista del País Valencià; in Spanish
: Partido Comunista del País Valenciano), is a Spanish
communist
political party
, acting as the federation of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) in the Valencian Community
. As such, it is a component party of the United Left of the Valencian Country group.
The PCPV was constituted in 1976, a year after the death of Francisco Franco
, during the Spanish transition to democracy
. Its first general secretary was Antonio Palomares, a communist leader who had fought against the Franco regime. In its First Congress in 1979, the PCPV elected Ernest García as its general secretary
. Nevertheless, García was in minority in the Executive Board, and had to resign, being replaced by José Galán until the 3rd Congress, which elected Juan Villalba as general secretary. As Villalba stood by Santiago Carrillo
when the latter left the PCE, the PCE leadership requested the summoning of a 4th PCPV Congress in 1985, one which elected Pedro Zamora
as general secretary in a vote that excluded Carrillo's followers.
After the fall of the Soviet Union
, some members of the PCE stood for its dissolution and the conversion of the United Left
(IU) coalition into a new political party. In this context, at 1992 the 6th Congress of the PCPV elected a new leadership headed by Joan Ribó. Joan Ribó was elected general coordinator of the United Left of the Valencian Country (EUPV) in 1998, being replaced by Alfred Botella as the general coordinator of the PCPV. Botella was re-elected at the 8th (in 2000) and 9th (2002) Congresses.
At 2005, during a conflict inside the IU, Botella resigned and the leadership of the PCPV convoked an extraordinary 10th Congress, which elected a new leadership that unanimously voted for Marga Sanz as general secretary.
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
: Partit Comunista del País Valencià; in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Partido Comunista del País Valenciano), is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
political party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
, acting as the federation of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) in the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
. As such, it is a component party of the United Left of the Valencian Country group.
The PCPV was constituted in 1976, a year after the death of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, during the Spanish transition to democracy
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
. Its first general secretary was Antonio Palomares, a communist leader who had fought against the Franco regime. In its First Congress in 1979, the PCPV elected Ernest García as its general secretary
General secretary
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
. Nevertheless, García was in minority in the Executive Board, and had to resign, being replaced by José Galán until the 3rd Congress, which elected Juan Villalba as general secretary. As Villalba stood by Santiago Carrillo
Santiago Carrillo
Santiago Carrillo Solares is a Spanish politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Spain from 1960 to 1982.- Childhood and early youth :...
when the latter left the PCE, the PCE leadership requested the summoning of a 4th PCPV Congress in 1985, one which elected Pedro Zamora
Pedro Zamora
Pedro Pablo Zamora was a Cuban-American AIDS educator and television personality...
as general secretary in a vote that excluded Carrillo's followers.
After the fall of the Soviet Union
History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)
The history of the Soviet Union from 1982 through 1991, spans the period from Leonid Brezhnev's death and funeral until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Due to the years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth stagnated...
, some members of the PCE stood for its dissolution and the conversion of the United Left
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
(IU) coalition into a new political party. In this context, at 1992 the 6th Congress of the PCPV elected a new leadership headed by Joan Ribó. Joan Ribó was elected general coordinator of the United Left of the Valencian Country (EUPV) in 1998, being replaced by Alfred Botella as the general coordinator of the PCPV. Botella was re-elected at the 8th (in 2000) and 9th (2002) Congresses.
At 2005, during a conflict inside the IU, Botella resigned and the leadership of the PCPV convoked an extraordinary 10th Congress, which elected a new leadership that unanimously voted for Marga Sanz as general secretary.