Partido Popular (PP)
The Partido Popular (PP) was the major political opponent of desalination projects. Conversely, it was a strong proponent of water transfers, specially endorsed under the Second National Hydrological Plan of 2001 created during the second conservative government of Aznar (2000-2004), which promoted the Ebro Transfer in opposition to desalination (18). There was a huge public mobilization all along the Mediterranian coast, including in Barcelona city, to avoid suggested transfers of the Ebro river, promoted mainly to address the increasing water demand from expanding touristic, industrial and agricultural sectors at the turn of the 20th century (18). This wave of opposition and political protests contributed to wear out the already weakened government of Azar, due to the Spanish Participation in the Iraq war (2003) and ETA terrorist attacks (2004).
Hence, the grassroot movements that emerged in opposition to the Ebro transfer promoted under the NHP contributed to the victory of the socialist party, PSOE, in 2004. Under the government of Zapatero, desalination was strongly encouraged, framed as a “cornucopian” and problem free solution to water scarcity problems along the mediterranian that balanced regional differences, which importantly, guaranteed the protection of the Ebro river and its fragile delta and guaranteed water as a human right (18).
It was not until 2011 that the PP came into power again, with the Government of Rajoy (2011-2016), who led the neo-liberal recovery strategy to the economic crisis of 2008. Rajoy was re-elected again until in 2018 was topped by a censure motion from the socialit party. In terms of water policy, the center-right party promoted a national pact on water, the development of a new NHP as well as increasing reuse up to 650 hm3. (4) The references to the programme of AGUA disappeared from official documents of the new conservative government and relinquished the objectives of the program, contributing to its lack of implementation (3).