By Linda Hall • Published: 24 Apr 2022 • 19:08
CHANGES AFOOT: Bid to oust Emilio Bascuñana from Orihuela city hall Photo credit: Orihuela city hall
LOCAL political party CLARO announced beforehand that it did not support the April 25 ousting of city mayor Emilio Bascuñana.
“CLARO considers that the political manoeuvres to install a PSOE and Ciudadanos coalition represent political opportunism,” said CLARO’S president Bob Houliston,
Ciudadanos were in coalition with the Partido Popular for seven years but nationally the party was in danger of disappearing, he pointed out.
“Ciudadanos Orihuela, against the wishes of their own provincial leaders seized an opportunity to change partners and retain city hall responsibilities to avoid their extinction locally,” Bob said.
“The present PSOE leadership in Orihuela are trying to avoid an internal challenge which could see them replaced by others in next year’s municipal elections.”
The motives of Cambiemos, which supports censure motion but will not be present in the new local government, were less clear, according to CLARO’s president.
“They chose to break their coalition with CLARO, signing the proposed motion in the name of Cambiemos-Unidas Podemos but not Cambiemos Orihuela Claro-Unidas Podemos,” Bob said.
He also revealed that CLARO did not participate in negotiating the no-confidence motion and received a minimum of information about developments.
“On a matter of such fundamental political importance CLARO. was excluded by its coalition partner,” Bob said.
“Perhaps CLARO’s participation was vetoed as, apparently, Cambiemos’s own inclusion in the new local government was vetoed. Whatever, by their own choice the Cambiemos-Claro coalition is ended,” he declared.
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Originally from the UK, Linda is based in Valenca and is a reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering local news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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