Taking Power

THE formation of regional governments across Spain is complete with the swearing in of Madrid’s new president yesterday (Wednesday).

The conservative Partido Popular’s (PP) Isabel Diaz Ayuso was voted in after reaching a deal with the centrist Ciudadanos and the far-right Vox.

Her investiture marks the end of some the most protracted talks to form a regional administration since elections on Sunday May 26.

Diaz Ayuso said negotiations to form the administration had been ‘difficult’.

The new Madrid Region president also faced difficulties from opposition parties including the left-leaning Partido Socialista (PSOE) and the leftist Mas Madrid and Podemos.

They unearthed a story about Diaz Ayuso’s alleged non-payment of real estate taxes on a home jointly owned with her brother, leaving her facing a scandal before even taking office.

The president accused the parties of trying to ruin her investiture and ‘damage’ her honour.

Diaz Ayuso’s investiture process was one of two of the most drawn-out following May’s elections. Similar wrangling took place in Navarra between leftwing parties who collectively won the most seats there but none had enough to govern alone.

PSOE’s Maria Chivite was invested as president after winning the second investiture vote by 23 to 22 with five abstentions.