Plan for a New Levante Region in Spain
Proposal to split Alicante from Valencia, citing the Segura basin and historical ties to Murcia.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Alicante versus Valencia: The Plan to Create the New Levante
The Valencian Community has managed an internal fracture for decades that no government has wanted to acknowledge. While the city of Valencia concentrates power and resources, the southern provinces—Alicante and Murcia—share a hydrographic basin, mountain range, climate, and a 70 km urban corridor that barely notices the administrative border. The proposal for a new autonomous region, unofficially dubbed the New Levante, is not a passing fad: it rests on geographical, historical, and demographic arguments that deserve unbiased examination.
The Geographical Basis: The Segura Basin as a Natural Unit
The axis of Alicante-Elche-Orihuela-Murcia forms a single linear metropolitan area. The Segura River and the Baetic System unite the territory far more than any decree from 1833. Supporters of the split argue that the current autonomous border between Valencia and Murcia is as artificial as the one separating Spain from Portugal. Urban continuity is undeniable: between Alicante and Murcia there are barely 70 km of continuous infrastructure, with municipalities like Torrevieja, Orihuela, or Molina de Segura functioning as nodes of the same economic and social network.
The Historical Argument: Alicante Was Not Conquered by James I
One of the pillars of the debate is the reinterpretation of the Reconquista in Alicante. The city of Alicante did not fall in 1238 under the Aragonese king, but ten years later, on December 4, 1248, at the hands of Alfonso X the Wise, King of Castile. Therefore, Alicante did not belong to the original Kingdom of Valencia, but was incorporated later for dynastic reasons. This fact is used to argue that Alicante's membership in the Valencian Community is historically contingent, not essential.
52 Municipalities with Over 20,000 Inhabitants: The Demographic Weight of the New Levante
The proposal includes an exhaustive list of municipalities that would make up the new region. According to the data provided, there would be 52 localities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, led by Murcia (479,405), Alicante (366,221), Elche (245,557), and Cartagena (220,704). Gandia, with 83,135 inhabitants, would be one of the additions from the current province of Valencia. The proposed capital is Cartagena, justified by its status as a historic port and seat of the Roman Empire in Hispania. The choice is not peaceful: Elda, due to its central position, also appears as an alternative.
Internal Tensions: Pan-Catalanism, Settlers, and Poles
The debate reveals fractures within Alicante separatism itself. While some defend a region free of Catalan influence, others point out that comarcas like La Marina or La Safor have a strong pan-Catalanist presence. The inclusion of Spanish-speaking areas such as northern Alicante is also criticized, accusing the promoter of being a "Castilian settler." The language used is harsh and personal insults abound, but behind the noise emerge real questions about identity, regional funding, and territorial balance.
With these elements, the New Levante remains nothing more than an exercise in alternate history. But the recurrence of the debate, and the strength of some of its geographical arguments, indicate that the wound between Alicante and Valencia will not heal on its own. Demographic data and the natural unity of the southeast will continue to fuel the discussion as long as regional politics ignore the border that splits the Segura basin in two.
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The Valencian Community has managed an internal fracture for decades that no government has wanted to acknowledge. While the city of Valencia concentrates power and resources, the southern provinces—Alicante and Murcia—share a hydrographic basin, mountain range, climate, and a 70 km urban corridor that barely notices the administrative border. The proposal for a new autonomous region, unofficially dubbed the New Levante, is not a passing fad: it rests on geographical, historical, and demographic arguments that deserve unbiased examination.
The Geographical Basis: The Segura Basin as a Natural Unit
The axis of Alicante-Elche-Orihuela-Murcia forms a single linear metropolitan area. The Segura River and the Baetic System unite the territory far more than any decree from 1833. Supporters of the split argue that the current autonomous border between Valencia and Murcia is as artificial as the one separating Spain from Portugal. Urban continuity is undeniable: between Alicante and Murcia there are barely 70 km of continuous infrastructure, with municipalities like Torrevieja, Orihuela, or Molina de Segura functioning as nodes of the same economic and social network.
The Historical Argument: Alicante Was Not Conquered by James I
One of the pillars of the debate is the reinterpretation of the Reconquista in Alicante. The city of Alicante did not fall in 1238 under the Aragonese king, but ten years later, on December 4, 1248, at the hands of Alfonso X the Wise, King of Castile. Therefore, Alicante did not belong to the original Kingdom of Valencia, but was incorporated later for dynastic reasons. This fact is used to argue that Alicante's membership in the Valencian Community is historically contingent, not essential.
52 Municipalities with Over 20,000 Inhabitants: The Demographic Weight of the New Levante
The proposal includes an exhaustive list of municipalities that would make up the new region. According to the data provided, there would be 52 localities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, led by Murcia (479,405), Alicante (366,221), Elche (245,557), and Cartagena (220,704). Gandia, with 83,135 inhabitants, would be one of the additions from the current province of Valencia. The proposed capital is Cartagena, justified by its status as a historic port and seat of the Roman Empire in Hispania. The choice is not peaceful: Elda, due to its central position, also appears as an alternative.
Internal Tensions: Pan-Catalanism, Settlers, and Poles
The debate reveals fractures within Alicante separatism itself. While some defend a region free of Catalan influence, others point out that comarcas like La Marina or La Safor have a strong pan-Catalanist presence. The inclusion of Spanish-speaking areas such as northern Alicante is also criticized, accusing the promoter of being a "Castilian settler." The language used is harsh and personal insults abound, but behind the noise emerge real questions about identity, regional funding, and territorial balance.
With these elements, the New Levante remains nothing more than an exercise in alternate history. But the recurrence of the debate, and the strength of some of its geographical arguments, indicate that the wound between Alicante and Valencia will not heal on its own. Demographic data and the natural unity of the southeast will continue to fuel the discussion as long as regional politics ignore the border that splits the Segura basin in two.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (135 replies).
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