Ayuso Calls Snap Madrid Elections For May 4th

The Madrid regional premier, Isabel Díaz Ayuso has dissolved the coalition government to call for fresh elections to the Madrid Assembly on 4th May.

The sudden move by the leader of the Madrid People´s Party  is believed to be an attempt to forestall a no condidence vote by coalition partners Ciudadanos who yesterday called for one against their PP coalition partners in the autonomous community of Murcia.

The Madrid coalition regional government consisted of the People’s Party ( 30 seats) and Ciudadanos ( 26 seats), with support from the far-right Vox party (12 seats) – together the centre-right block has a majority of just one in the 132 seat assembly.

According to a Madrid government press released today, March 11th, all Ciudadanos ministers have been dismissed from their posts.

Some political analysts sense that the Socialist PSOE who are the largest party in the assembly with 37 seats could try and form a centre-left alliance with Ciudadanos or a grand coalition with the left of centre Mas Madrid party.

The elections which will be made official today with an announcement in the state bulletin.

Ayuso hailed the elections as a vote between “between socialism and freedom,” adding that “I have been forced to take this decision for the good of Madrid and Spain and against my repeated desire to finish the mandate.”

However it is far from clear if the PP will make any significant electoral gains – the leader of the Ciudadanos vice premier, Ignacio Aguado, described the move as “irresponsible” and Ayuso´s decision a “derelection of duty” and “betrayal” of the coalition pact that was set for the duration of the assembly´s term until 2023.

In addition, he said that it ” puts in danger ” the 250 million Euros in aid to struggling companies and 30 million to families facing extreme proverty due to the ongoing economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

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