Valencia leader resigns over mishandling of floods that killed 229 people

Carlos Mazón has faced calls to step down over the deadly flash floods last October

The leader of Spain’s Valencia region has announced his resignation, citing his government’s widely condemned response to last year’s catastrophic flash floods that killed 229 people.

Carlos Mazón confirmed his departure on Monday, having faced sustained calls to step down since the disaster in October 2024.

His administration’s handling of the emergency has been heavily criticised, particularly for issuing a flood alert to residents’ mobile phones hours after raging waters had already begun to overflow river banks, sweeping away cars and devastating homes.

The public outcry culminated in a state memorial ceremony on the first anniversary of the tragedy, where family members of victims reportedly jeered and insulted him before the event began.

Addressing reporters in Valencia, Mr Mazón admitted: “I know I made mistakes. I acknowledge them, and I will live with them for the rest of my life. I have apologized, and I apologize again today, but none of them were due to political calculation or bad faith.”

His administration’s slow reaction to the emergency has drawn widespread condemnation from both citizens and political opponents.

He was also widely criticised for having a long lunch with a journalist on the day of the floods when emergency officials were meeting to manage the crisis.

A blocked tunnel in Alfafar, Valencia, in the aftermath of the deadly floods (Reuters)

The natural disaster was one of Europe’s deadliest in living memory, and also caused billions of euros in damage mainly to the suburbs of Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city.

Over the past year, there have been several large street protests in Valencia calling for Mazón to step down, including one a few days before the one-year memorial that drew tens of thousands of demonstrators.

Nevertheless, Mazón clung to power even as his management of the disaster became a drag on the prospects of his centre-right Popular Party.

Carlos Mazon’s administration’s reaction to the emergency has drawn widespread condemnation from both citizens and political opponents (Reuters)

He blamed Spain’s left-wing national government for failing to adequately respond to the disaster, even though Spain’s decentralised system of government tasks regional authorities with handling civil protection.

Regional governments can ask the national government in Madrid, now led by the Socialists, for extra resources, and use information from the national weather forecaster and other agencies.

Mazón didn't specify on Monday whether he was calling a snap election or was quitting his seat in the regional assembly – nor did he name an interim successor.

With his resignation, Mazón said Spain’s government “no longer has any excuse to keep dragging its feet”, in reference to Valencia’s recovery efforts, and said the past year had brought “unbearable moments” for him and his family.