Madrid Deputy Mayor suspended from the Partido Popular

Madrid Deputy Mayor suspended from the Partido Popular
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By m.p. - Nov 4, 2009 - 3:34 PM

Manuel Cobo (right) with Madrid's Mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón - EFE

The temporary measure comes over his harsh criticism of the PP's Regional President of Madrid

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón’s No. 2 at Madrid City Hall, Deputy Mayor, Manuel Cobo, has been suspended from the Partido Popular for his critical comments of Esperanza Aguirre over the Caja Madrid Savings Bank affair.

Madrid’s Deputy Mayor said in an interview with El País last week that the actions of the PP Regional President of Madrid and her team on nominations for the new Chairman of the savings bank made him ‘nauseous’. An official complaint was made about his behaviour and, this Wednesday, the PP’s internal affairs department, the Rights and Guarantees Committee, decided to temporarily suspend the Deputy Mayor’s party membership.

He will remain under suspension while the investigation into his behaviour continues, but it’s understood from El Mundo that Cobos will continue with his responsibilities as Madrid’s Deputy Mayor and PP spokesperson at City Hall during that time. El País however notes that, if the internal affairs investigation concludes that he has committed a serious fault, he could be suspended for up to four years or, in the most serious of cases, be expelled from the party.

The move came just hours after Tuesday’s meeting of the PP’s National Executive when the party’s leader, Mariano Rajoy, took firm control in an attempt to halt the public infighting in the party in Madrid. Making a call for unity, the PP leader reminded those present, which did not include Esperanza Aguirre, that it is he who approves all the lists of candidates for election to central and regional parliaments and to the local Town Halls.

Manuel Cobos said on hearing the news of his suspension, ‘I accept and obey the decision adopted by the PP’s Rights and Guarantees Committee, as I have always done and as should all members of this great party that is the Partido Popular’.

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