Valencia's regional leader resigns one year after deadly floods: "I can't go on anymore"

Carlos Mazón, president of Spain's eastern Valencia region, announced his resignation on Monday, one year after catastrophic floods killed 229 people and caused billions of euros in damage. The storm, which struck on October 29, 2024, remains the deadliest flood-related disaster in Europe since 1967.

"I can't go on anymore," Mazón told reporters in Valencia after delivering a speech that sharply criticized the national government's response to the tragedy. He did not clarify whether he plans to vacate his seat in the regional parliament (which would remove his parliamentary immunity) nor did he name an interim successor or call for snap elections.

Accusations of delayed response and political fallout

Residents of the hardest-hit suburbs south of Valencia have long accused the regional administration of reacting too late to the torrential rains. By the time alerts were issued, many buildings were already submerged, and entire neighborhoods were swept away by the floods.

Mazón has faced daily calls to resign, particularly from families of the victims, as public anger intensified over what many view as a preventable tragedy. His resignation coincides with the testimony of Maribel Vilaplana, a local journalist who was having lunch with Mazón on the day of the disaster and is set to appear before a judge investigating potential criminal negligence by authorities.