In brief
The Madrid city councillor steps down as deputy spokesperson for the PSOE's national leadership to concentrate on her mayoral bid.
López enters a primary race against the PSOE's current City Council spokesperson and former industry minister, who intended to repeat as head of the ticket.
López announced her candidacy two days before the Federal Committee was to approve the primary calendar, drawing criticism from senior officials in Ferraz.
Left-wing unions and associations have called an indefinite strike in Madrid public education starting 14 October, targeting regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso ahead of the 2027 elections.
- 25 JunEnma López announces she will run in the PSOE primary for Madrid mayor
- 26 JunLópez resigns as deputy spokesperson in the Federal Executive Committee
- 27 JunPSOE Federal Committee convenes to approve primary calendar for autonomous and municipal elections
- 14 OctIndefinite strike begins in Madrid's public education, called by unions and left-wing groups
Surprise move shakes PSOE
Enma López, a city councillor and deputy federal spokesperson, announced her candidacy for the PSOE's Madrid mayoral primary on Thursday and resigned from the party's federal executive on Friday. The move caught the national leadership off guard, two days before the Federal Committee was to approve the internal primary calendar. A senior PSOE official from Ferraz criticised the timing.
“She has jumped the gun. She is supposed to show responsibility as a member of the federal leadership and she didn't respect the timeline at all. That's not how things are done.”
A contested primary against a former minister
López will face Reyes Maroto, the PSOE's current spokesperson in the City Council and former Minister of Industry, who had already signalled her intention to lead the ticket again. The internal contest is expected to sharpen, with López positioning herself as the candidate who can "return the illusion" and end years of Popular Party rule in the capital.
“I want to be mayor of Madrid.”
Maroto's standing has been complicated by a recent court ruling that found her description of elderly people as "murdered" during the COVID-19 nursing home controversy went beyond freedom of expression, an alleged criminal offence.
Broader political climate in Madrid
The primaries unfold as left-wing unions and associations prepare an autumn of street mobilisation against regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso. An indefinite strike in Madrid's public education is set to begin on 14 October, seven months before the regional elections. The week also brought fresh failures on the capital's Cercanías commuter trains, with cable theft and breakdowns stranding commuters, while Transport Minister Óscar López sought to deflect attention on social media.
What comes next
The PSOE Federal Committee meets on Saturday to approve the primary calendar, allowing territorial federations to schedule votes between July and November. López has pledged to focus on grassroots members and building a project that "enchants" the city. The outcome will shape the left's strategy for the 2027 municipal elections.