Madrid Mayoress to stand down in next elections

ANA BOTELLA, the Mayoress of Madrid has announced this morning that she will not be standing for re-election in the municipal elections next May.

She told the press, “Today, after three terms in office, I would like to announce my decision not to participate in next year’s municipal elections in May.” She went on to say, “This morning, I spoke to the party leader and president, Mariano Rajoy, to reassure him of my commitment and responsibility towards my position until the end of my term next year. A decision that he has known about for a while.” She also added that “it is an announcement and not a farewell. There are many months of work and projects to finish.”

Botella was voted into power 11 years ago in 2003, to represent Madrid in the municipal elections with the help of Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, who was the mayor of Madrid at that time. He elected her council of environment and after eight loyal years, in December 2011, when Ruiz-Gallardón left his position of mayor to serve in the government as Justice Minister, she took over as mayor.