The spokesperson for Más Madrid in the City Council, Rita Maestre, has lashed out at the President of the Municipal Plenary, Borja Fanjul, whom she considers "a nightclub bouncer" who "restricts" entry to the Commission Room of Plaza de la Villa, "the home of all Madrileños".
Maestre made these remarks in statements to Europa Press after Fanjul approved a new resolution that sets the number of places available for the general public in said Commission Room at only six.
According to the opposition leader, this decision is "another demonstration" of the "obsession that the mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has with citizen participation and the plurality of Madrid society," and it shows that Fanjul is acting as a "political commissar" instead of serving as President of the Plenary.
In her criticism, Maestre stated that "anything that tarnishes their triumphalist and unreal narrative of Madrid scandalizes them. They are more bothered by the protest of early childhood educators about their miserable salaries or the demands of residents affected by vulture fund harassment than by the unstoppable rise in rents."
The spokesperson for Más Madrid added that "these abuses of power" only highlight "how isolated the mayor and his entire government are," warning the municipal executive that "they will not succeed in gagging the harsh reality."
Distribution of the 16 seats in the Commission Room
The resolution signed by Fanjul, which Europa Press has accessed, introduces changes to the 2020 text and maintains the total capacity of 16 seats for the public, but establishes a new distribution system between municipal groups and general attendees.
Of those 16 seats, five are assigned to the Popular Municipal Group, two to Más Madrid, two to the Socialist Municipal Group, one to Vox, and six are reserved for the general public.
The new rule is now in effect and replaces the resolution of January 21, 2020, which was limited to setting the capacity at 16 seats without providing for a permanent reservation of seats for attendance at ordinary and extraordinary commissions.