That a politician resigns in Spain, as you know, is not common. And when it happens, it incredibly becomes news. That is, when a politician assumes responsibilities, when they act with coherence or even with courage, because leaving a job —especially one with enormous public exposure and whose resignation will be commented on by all media— also requires courage, that deserves to be recognized.
And that is what happened this Friday with Montse Mínguez, spokesperson for the Socialist Party and one of the most visible faces of the PSOE. A resignation that, I insist, must be praised. Montse Mínguez has not committed any crime. She is not being investigated for absolutely anything and has no problems with justice. The real estate business that has generated this controversy is not hers, but her partner's.
It is evident that politically, and even more so in a campaign, the situation could be uncomfortable. That the partner of a party leader who advocates regulating the real estate business precisely has an activity linked to that sector can generate a contradiction difficult to explain in the midst of the pre-campaign for general elections that will culminate at the polls on November 29.
But that is one thing, and attributing her partner's professional activities to Montse Mínguez is quite another. What a person's partner does does not automatically determine what that person thinks, defends, or does politically, unless there is some connection between that private activity and their public responsibility. And, in this case, there does not appear to be any.
Nor are we dealing with a leader who has publicly come out to defend or praise her partner's activity. It has not happened as, for example, with Isabel Díaz Ayuso and Alberto González Amador, whom the Madrid president initially defended, presenting his situation as a simple conflict with the Treasury. Later we learned that the matter was much more serious and that González Amador will go to trial for various crimes, including alleged document forgery.
In the case of Montse Mínguez, I insist, there is nothing similar. She is not charged, she is not under investigation, and she has no type of problem with the Justice system. What there was was a political inconsistency difficult to manage in an electoral pre-campaign. And in the face of that situation, she has decided to resign. That is why I believe it must be acknowledged. For a politician to leave the front line and assume political responsibility when she is not even being investigated for anything is a gesture that, precisely because it is not common in Spain, deserves to be highlighted.
Now, in addition to praising a resignation when it occurs, we must also demand coherence from the other parties. And, in this case, the Popular Party of Madrid and the Popular Party at a national level should take note. Because someone who currently does have a problem with the Justice system is a politician from the Madrid PP who is still active and continues to be mayor: the mayor of Móstoles, Manuel Bautista.
There is a complaint against him filed, no less, by a former councilwoman of the Popular Party itself. Not by someone from the opposition, but by a former councilwoman from his own party. A complaint for alleged sexual and workplace harassment about which there is an investigation still in an initial phase.
And, meanwhile, Manuel Bautista continues to be mayor of Móstoles. That does seem like a disgrace to me.
The Popular Party will now, logically, because it is in opposition, use Montse Mínguez's resignation politically. It will say: “Look, Montse Mínguez has resigned.” Well, very good. But before using that resignation during the election campaign, let it take note. Let the Popular Party of Madrid of Isabel Díaz Ayuso take note, and let the national leadership of the PP also take note.
They have in their ranks the mayor of Móstoles, one of the most important municipalities in the Community of Madrid, affected by a complaint for alleged workplace and sexual harassment filed by a former councilwoman from his own party. And he remains in office.
Therefore, in addition to using —because they will— Montse Mínguez's resignation during the pre-campaign and the subsequent election campaign, the Popular Party should pressure the mayor of Móstoles to resign once and for all in the face of reported facts of enormous gravity.
One must praise courage and the assumption of responsibilities, no matter which political party they come from. And, precisely for that reason, one must also demand that other parties take note when they have much more serious situations within their own ranks.
That is what the Popular Party should do now before electorally using Montse Mínguez's resignation.
Let the Popular Party take note.
