Vilassar de Mar scandal: the PSC files disciplinary proceedings against its councilors for making a motion of censure without permission.

BarcelonaDisarray in Vilassar de Mar. At the beginning of the week, the opposition announced a motion of no confidence to remove the Junts mayor, Laura Martínez. The PSC, Esquerra (Spanish Socialist Left), and Babord—made up of independents, the Comuns (United Left), and the CUP (Cup)—joined forces to oust the mayor due to the "critical situation" the council finds itself in after the municipal government lost its majority following the departure of the Republicans, first, and then of two Junts-Estimem Vilassar councilors. However, according to ARA, this move could put the three PSC councilors in trouble. The Maresme Socialist Federation will officially ask the national leadership this Friday to file a complaint against the councilors because they have reached this agreement, by which the mayoralty will fall to Babord, without "following the official procedure." That is, without the approval of the federation.

The party gave the councilors a couple of days to reconsider their position, but when they refused to do so, it set in motion the machinery to sanction them. But why has the opposition in Vilassar de Mar allied itself against the mayor? The three parties argue that the municipality is experiencing a state of "misgovernance," aggravated by the municipal government's failure to approve the budget. This, they maintain, means they cannot remedy situations such as staff shortages or maintenance problems at municipal facilities. They also see the continuity of the daycare center as "at risk" and a "lack of ambition" in housing, environmental, and cultural policies. The three PSC councilors, the three ERC councilors, and the five Babord councilors form an absolute majority.

Sources involved in the motion negotiations explained to ARA that, during the talks, they confirmed that there were internal "discrepancies" within the PSC regarding the pact, but they maintain that these were resolved and that the Socialist councilors did not express any reluctance when they registered the motion on Tuesday. The plenary session to swear in Babord's candidate, Elena López, has already been scheduled: it will be held on March 25 at 12 noon. According to the sources consulted, the PSC in Vilassar de Mar could still be open to reconsidering the decision to avoid a sanction that would force them to be councilors not affiliated with any group—they would not be able to use the acronym of the Catalan Socialists if the party vetoes it.

Discomfort with the pact

The discontent within the PSC with the councilors, however, goes beyond the strictly formal. Several PSC sources acknowledge that they dislike this pact because it represents an alliance without a clear project and, furthermore, comes two years before the municipal elections, too soon to consolidate itself as a governing alternative. "It is not justified and we do not fully see it," they state. Both Babord and ERC deny any knowledge of the internal opposition this issue has sparked within the Maresme PSC.

In any case, the formula proposed in Vilassar de Mar is reminiscent of those implemented in Badalona to oust Xavier García Albiol following his appearance in the Pandora Papers, and which were later punished by the citizens at the polls: the PP mayor obtained an absolute majority. The same thing happened recently in Cambrils, where the now former mayor Alfredo Clúa folded after Junts decided to leave the municipal government following the expulsion of its spokesperson. Now the PSC remains in government. but has handed over the mayor's baton to the leader of a local candidate, Oliver Klein.The Socialists have grown weary of this type of pact. They had planned to make an exception in Ripoll, following the failed vote of no confidence with ERC, Junts, and the CUP against the Catalan Alliance, but ultimately the refusal of the junteros to join This sanitary cordon blew this possibility out of the water. Furthermore, even in that case, the Socialists did not want to enter the municipal government, according to party sources.