Concern in Andorra about the dismissal of the mayor and the resignation of two other councilors
The mining town suffers from a situation of worrying misgovernment at an important moment while awaiting political decisions related to the energy transition. That the mayor of Andorra, Antonio Amador (PSOE), had not been feeling well for months and this was leading to grave management problems was an open secret, but no one expected that he will temporarily leave the mayor’s office to “recover”, without clarifying what, and without informing about who and how the city council will be managed during his absence. This unexpected announcement has been joined by the resignation of two socialist councilors who were part of the municipal government team made up of the PSOE and the PAR, Margarita Santos, Councilor for Education, Culture and Tourism; and Mercedes Baselga, Councilor for Social Action.
The institutional crisis that the Andorra City Council is going through will be addressed by the PSOE of Teruel in an extraordinary executive called urgently. The Secretary of Organization of the PSOE Aragón, Darío Villagrasa, during the Regional Executive of the PSOE, said that “we respect the decision”. “From the PSOE we will work for the stability of the Andorra City Council. Let there be no doubt about the commitment of the Socialists with this municipality”, he assured.
The Andorran mayor announced his temporary withdrawal (not resignation) during his speech before hundreds of neighbors. “It is important for me to talk about a very personal issue, it is very difficult and it has cost me to dare to take the step, but I find myself in a situation where I need, for the next few weeks, to be myself again“, he acknowledged very emotionally. “I don’t know if it was because of not knowing how to channel the pressure or because I felt overwhelmed at timesbut of course he has not managed it in the correct way”, he explained with a broken voice.
“For a few weeks, I’m sure With the support and understanding of the Municipal Corporation and guaranteeing the functioning of the City Council, I will be focused on my recovery and on returning when I have passed the first part of this opportunity that has been presented to me and that I want, need, and am convinced to take advantage of”, Amador announced. Also on stage, the mayor wanted to thank the support provided by his family. “They are the best support I have”, he declared .
The news was a surprise to some members of the government team and the councilors have shown their support. The organizational secretary of the PSOE Teruel, Javier Baigorri, did not want to clarify whether the party was aware of the situation or not. Nevertheless, The heads of the PSOE Aragón -among them Mayte Pérez and Javier Lambán- would have held meetings in recent weeks with the mayor and his team to address this situation in Andorra and Zaragoza.
For now It is unknown who will perform their functions in the coming weeks, although it is expected that it will be the deputy mayor, Juan Ciércoles, who will assume them. It will be the Municipal Corporation of Andorra that faces the appropriate restructuring, following the protocol established in the absence of the mayor.
depleted socialist team
The socialist government team, with five mayors, has seen its ranks reduced. If the following on the list resign, the government would be dissolved. The two councilors who resigned yesterday join two others who left the post last year. The problems to which the mayor alluded during the opening ceremony have caused tensions in the Andorra City Council for months. In fact, several of them would have threatened to resign if the mayor did not take a step back. In 2021 Trinidad Hernández, mayor of Social Action, Health and Equality, left, being replaced by Mercedes Baselga (resigned yesterday). Previously, Amador’s right-hand man, Deputy Mayor Sebastián Ruiz, left his post and was replaced by Alejo Galve.
The announcement, in the final stretch of the legislature, compromises the stability of the City Council due to future challenges such as the upcoming signing of the Just Transition Agreement. It is expected that in September the Nudo Mudéjar contest will be awarded, which adds to the necessary management of large projects.
nobody knows anything
The Andorran government team knew nothing. The deputy mayor, Juan Ciércoles (PAR), has replaced the mayor during his vacation, in which he already felt “overwhelmed”. However, yesterday that power was no longer in his hands or anyone else’s. There was no summons to the government team to redirect the situation, nor was any reaction expected. “We are focused on carrying out the most immediate, the parties, and waiting to agree with our parties how to manage this complex situation,” said Juan Ciércoles.
His partner and Councilor for Commerce, Esther Peirat, has said she feels “concerned.” “We are all for the work of moving this forward, it is what you present yourself for when you enter politics for your people“, said the mayor.
The opposition, for its part, has shared the same concern by not knowing “what the next step will be now.” Silvia Quílez, councilor of the PP in the City Council of Andorra, has assured that they do not know who will be in charge of the position or how long the absence will last. “We are waiting for them to call us,” she said.