Rob Horgan
IT’S over. The race to name municipal mayors across the country has come to an end and the men and women in charge of Spain’s towns are finally back to work.
The highest-ever number of split municipal results led to a fortnight of negotiations as former rivals put their differences aside to pact with one another.
With June 13 set as the deadline for mayoral inaugurations, several municipalities hung precariously in the balance.
In Malaga alone, a third of the province’s 103 municipalities failed to produce a majority and needed a pact for stability.
The split nature of the vote no doubt points to a tight general election in November.
Here is a brief rundown of some of the biggest changes and those that stayed in power:
Marbella
NEW Mayor of Marbella Jose Bernal is determined to ‘clean up’ the political scene.
Starting by removing all signs of Franco and corruption from the town, Bernal is roping in Malaga University to investigate what needs to be done.
Buildings will be adapted and road names will be changed until all signs of the former dictator are but a distant and forgotten memory.
Mijas
CIUDADANOS candidate Juan Carlos Maldonado has taken the reins in Mijas, leaving former mayor Angel Nozal to settle for the role of his deputy.
A pact with the PP saw the emerging party claim victory after a closely fought contest.
A potential pact between the PSOE and Ciudadanos had been tipped to put Jose Gonzalez in the mayor’s seat but the PP trumped the PSOE’s offer.
Nerja
CHANGE is afoot in Nerja, after newly crowned mayor Rosa Arrabal ended 20 years of PP rule.
The PSOE candidate teamed up with the IU to dethrone former mayor Jose Armijo.
In the end a last minute breakdown in pact-negotiations between Armijo and Ciudadanos spelt the end for the PP candidate.
Benalmadena
A FIVE-WAY pact in Benalmadena ousted former PP mayor Paloma Galvez from the hot seat.
United against the PP, the IU, Ciudadanos, Costa del Sol Si Puede and Alternativa Por Benalmadena joined forces in support of PSOE candidate Victor Navas.
The PSOE has reclaimed power in Benalmadena at the first time of asking, after losing the seat to the PP in 2012.
Torremolinos
AFTER 20 years in the mayoral seat, the PP’s Pedro Fernandez Montes was ousted from office by socialist Jose Ortiz.
The former mayor’s unpopularity was all too evident when he addressed the council at the investiture ceremony, being booed by members of the public with cries of ‘Viva la democracia, viva Torremolinos’.
Ronda
TEARS of joy were shed by Maria de la Paz Fernandez when she learned of her re-election victory.
Ronda’s mayor – all over again – will lead a PP minority with seven councillors.
The glamorous Rodena was visibly moved and is reaching out to other political groups to drive Ronda’s development forward.
“I’m not afraid of this challenge,” said Fernandez.
Benaojan
THE new mayor of Benaojan, Soraya Garcia, was left an unusual gift by her predecessor.
As the PSOE candidate’s name was etched onto the town hall’s door, signs of former mayor Francisco Gomez were all too apparent.
The PP candidate’s parting gift was an ashtray full of cigarette-butts left on her desk.
A parting dig at the new mayor, Garcia had previously denounced Gomez for smoking in public.
Estepona
HIS election win may have been easier than many of his Costa del Sol counterparts but mayor Jose Urbano is not resting on his laurels.
Determined to keep the support of his faithful residents, Urbano has renounced the use of an official car and will instead drive his own vehicle.
He has also outlawed municipal mobile phones for town hall staff, a saving of around €500,000 over the next four years.
