Political crisis in one of the main mayoralties for the right. The mayor of Gijón, Carmen Moriyón, from Foro, announced this Tuesday the expulsion of Vox from the City Council after those from Santiago Abascal unilaterally decided to apply changes to the Gijón International Film Festival in order to avoid “ideological biases and partisanship.” With the departure of Vox, Forum begins to govern only in agreement with the Popular Party and in a minority, since it is one seat away from the absolute majority.
“It’s over,” Moriyón herself had expressed hours before through social networks after learning of Vox’s decision through the media. The mayor accused Vox of “putting its initials first”, of not being “capable of complying” with the mandate to citizens and of “paralysing” the action of the municipal government, at the same time that she said “not allowing any interference from Madrid or from wherever”, in clear reference to the party leadership. And she warned that she will not tolerate a setback “in rights and freedoms”: “The next four years will be brilliant for Gijón.”
The mayor disfigured Vox’s “totally passive” attitude throughout these barely three and a half months of coalition activity. The pact, in any case, was not signed in three parties, but rather Foro sealed an agreement with the popular ones and another with Vox. The tripartite has fifteen of the 27 seats in the municipal plenary session: eight from Forum, five from the PP and two from Vox. The departure of the latter would leave the local government one seat away from the majority.
The Councilor for Celebrations of the Gijón City Council, Sara Álvarez Rouco, from Vox, had publicly communicated early this Tuesday her commitment to opening the film competition to the values defended by her training: “Work, effort and respect.” What’s more, Vox proposes the creation of an award for cinematographic work that most closely approximates these principles “related” to those of its acronym.
Likewise, Alvárez does not guarantee that the Festival will maintain the Rambal award, collaboration with the LGTBI collective, or the award intended for films in Asturian.
Some changes that will not apply to the current edition, which will be held from November 15 to 25, since the rules were sealed last May, even with the previous City Council led by the PSOE. Álvarez’s idea was to execute these modifications starting with the next call.
Vox will also hold a press conference starting at 8:00 p.m. to respond to Moriyón’s decision and explain its point of view on this internal conflict. The PP, for now, remains silent and waits to hear the mayor’s words.