The Popular Party has recovered this Thursday the Mayoralty of Lugo after 27 years of left-wing governments thanks to a motion of censure that has been approved with the decisive support of former socialist councilwoman María Reigosa, currently an independent after leaving the PSOE.
The popular leader Elena Candia has been invested as the new mayor of the Galician city with 13 votes in favor, compared to the 12 that the PSOE and the BNG, who governed the Lugo City Council in coalition, added up to. The change of government puts an end to almost three decades of progressive hegemony in one of the main urban strongholds of the Galician left.
The motion has been surrounded by strong political and social tension due to Reigosa's role, considered by socialists and nationalists as a "turncoat," having accessed the seat under the PSdeG banner before breaking with the party.
The Decisive Vote of María Reigosa
The political operation would not have been possible without the backing of María Reigosa, whose situation has reopened the debate on political turncoatism in Spanish municipal politics.
The former socialist councilwoman had entered the municipal corporation after a complex stage marked by several deaths within the socialist group during the term, including the death of former mayor Paula Alvarellos. Subsequently, she left the PSOE and joined the group of non-attached members.
Her support for the PP has allowed Elena Candia to reach the necessary majority to oust the socialist Miguel Fernández from the Mayor's Office, who headed the municipal government together with the BNG.
From the PSOE and the Galician Nationalist Bloc they have accused the Galician PP of violating the spirit of the anti-turncoat pact and of “assaulting” the Mayoralty through a politically “despicable” operation.
Protests and maximum tension in Lugo
The celebration of the full motion of censure has been accompanied by protests at the doors of the Concello. Hundreds of people gathered during the session with banners and slogans against the change of municipal government.
Among the slogans chanted, messages such as “Lugo is not for sale” or “Hands up, this is a robbery” stood out, in an atmosphere of maximum political tension.
The citizen platform “Transfuguismo non, democracia si” had promoted mobilizations during the last days to try to stop the motion.
The PP defends a "new impetus" for the city
The PP has defended the legitimacy of the operation and maintains that the municipal government was “exhausted” and had lost management capacity.
Elena Candia has claimed the need to open "a new stage" for Lugo and has assured that her Executive will seek "stability" and "management" for the city.
The recovery of the Lugo City Hall also represents an important symbolic blow to Galician socialism, as the city had been governed by left-wing forces for almost three decades.