Francisco Becerra has announced his intention to stand in the Manilva PSOE primaries to head the Socialist list in the municipal elections of May 2027. The decision comes after the party’s current spokesperson and, until now, its number one, Diego José Jiménez, decided not to stand and to make way for a new chapter within the party.
The Manilva PSOE has officially opened its primaries process ahead of the next municipal elections and already has a first candidate. He is Francisco Becerra, who made his decision public to coincide with the celebration of the Fiesta de la Vendimia (the Grape Harvest Festival) in Manilva.
Becerra personally informed the secretary general of the Málaga PSOE, Josele Aguilar, of his intention. Aguilar was in Manilva this weekend accompanying members of the Socialist branch.
“We have a big team and we have a project for Manilva”, said Becerra in the video released by the party. The candidate defended the need for change and invited any other Socialist members who wish to take part to do so, in a process which, in his own words, is open to any colleague who wants to put forward their candidacy.
“I believe this change is necessary”, said Becerra during his address.
Diego José Jiménez will not seek to stand again as candidate
Becerra’s announcement also comes at a time of generational change within the local PSOE. Diego José Jiménez, the current Socialist spokesperson and until now the head of the party, has decided not to stand in the primaries for the 2027 elections.
Jiménez is understood to have chosen to step aside to make way for new faces and a renewal of the Socialist project in Manilva, with the aim of restoring enthusiasm among the party’s electorate.
His decision therefore marks the end of a period at the head of the Manilva PSOE, with which he will remain closely involved, and opens up a new scenario ahead of the 2027 municipal elections.
Josele Aguilar made a point of paying tribute to Jiménez in his appearance in the video published by the PSOE. The secretary general of the Málaga PSOE highlighted the work the Manilva Socialists have been carrying out both at the Vendimia celebration and in the Town Hall, and addressed his congratulations personally to Diego José Jiménez.
“Manilva wants the Town Hall to change”
Aguilar also took advantage of his visit to the town to back Becerra’s candidacy and encourage other members to take part in the primaries process.
The provincial leader said the PSOE is approaching this new chapter with enthusiasm and sent a message directly to the residents of Manilva.
“People want the Town Hall to change, they want Manilva to change, they know there can be a better Manilva”, said Aguilar, linking that change to the Socialist project for the next municipal elections.
The secretary general of the Málaga PSOE also named the election date of 23 May 2027 as the moment when, in his words, that change could come “at the hands of the Manilva Socialist Party”.
A process that is still open
With Francisco Becerra as the first declared contender, the Manilva PSOE primaries process is now open to other members also putting forward their candidacy.
It will then be up to the Socialist membership to decide who will head the party’s list in the 2027 municipal elections.
Diego José Jiménez’s decision not to stand again and Francisco Becerra’s candidacy thus mark out a new scenario within Manilva socialism, which will spend the coming months defining its project and seeking to regain electoral ground, in a municipal political landscape that looks set to be one of the most intense, with more parties than ever, ahead of 2027.
