Firestorm in the PP: Alberto Fernández Díaz denounces Daniel Sirera for "irregularities"
The former councilor points out that the statutes have been violated in multiple decisions, but the state leadership reaffirms its support for the current Barcelona leader.
BarcelonaThere's no respite for the People's Party (PP) in Barcelona, and a new firestorm is engulfing the party's leader in the city, Daniel Sirera. According to information obtained by ARA, former municipal spokesperson Alberto Fernández Díaz has filed an internal complaint against Sirera, alleging that he "violated" party statutes regarding appointments to district councils and also concerning "memberships." The power struggle continues and is escalating, with the internal complaint now in the hands of the national PP leadership. Despite everything, Alberto Núñez Feijóo's leadership has not changed course in this conflict: for now, the complaint is shelved, and support for Sirera remains unwavering, as this newspaper has confirmed.
What is Fernández Díaz's complaint based on? He requests a report of last year's members for each district to determine whether or not they are still living there; he demands information on membership changes from one district to another or from a district originating from another municipality; And it focuses on the interim management committees established in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Horta, and Sant Andreu, because the change allegedly bypassed the city's local board. Critics of Sirera denounce that he has launched an operation to install loyalists. The issue is that the statutes clearly state that membership is required in the district where one lives or works.
When contacted by ARA, Fernández Díaz declined to comment on the complaint, stating that he did not want to "comment on internal matters," although he did note that the complaint was filed "weeks ago." Meanwhile, sources close to Sirera commented that "everyone who is a member in a district is there because they live or work there" and claimed they were unaware of any complaint having been filed, as well as the fact that the national leadership had ignored it. The city leadership stands by its strategy of recruiting young people for the party or individuals from Latin America, although it is aware of some criticism of this approach.
Fernández Díaz is not an isolated figure; he represents a segment of the Barcelona PP membership frustrated with Sirera's string of changes. This is not only because they believe the districts have been "destroyed" or the party "emptied of content" with its "superficiality" based on "absurd" videos, but also because the district party presidencies have been replaced with people who, they claim, neither live nor work there.
Although he doesn't cite specific cases, the spotlight is on the district councils: for example, the replacement of Tatiana Cabrera on the Sant Andreu council in February, even though she had been appointed councilor for Sarrià-Sant Gervasi at the end of 2024; Sirera also appointed José Antonio Calleja, party president in Sants-Montjuïc, as councilor for Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, relinquishing his position in his lifelong district but retaining the party presidency. The appointment of Susana Clerici in Horta is also being questioned. Sources close to Sirera clarify that Clerici, who lives in Les Corts, can be a member in Horta precisely because she is a councilor in the district.
A war from afar
On March 4th, Sirera organized an event intended as a gesture of reconciliation with Fernández Díaz, as he was invited to a round table discussion that also included the provincial president of Barcelona, Manu Reyes, with whom the current leader has also had disagreements. But this event did nothing to stop the situation. In fact, the internal complaint had already been filed and was maintained afterward. The peace that Sirera seeks within the Barcelona PP is facing difficulties, despite... the local board created in November of last year and chaired by himWith the approval of the state leadership, which appointed Fernández Díaz and 36 other people as members, Sirera has attempted to make further gestures to appease the critics—led by Fernández Díaz—but these have not satisfied them. They remain mobilized in a crusade that they have intensified Since the 2023 municipal elections: with public criticism from Fernández Díaz, internal movements against the current plan in the districts, and various party members and activists mobilized to convince Feijóo's leadership to dismiss him. This is in addition to Sirera's clash with the provincial leadership. However, Sirera was appointed speaker at the PP congress and has held a position on the national executive committee since last summer, which confirms his love affair with Feijóo.
