Alberto Núñez Feijóo said on 23 August that the Community of Madrid must explain why, through its state-owned company Planifica Madrid it acquired a penthouse in Chamberí that could not be used as an office. The leader of the Partido Popular said he had known since April that the regional government under Isabel Díaz Ayuso had been looking for a place for a “temporary relocation” of the President’s Office while work was carried out on the Real Casa de Correos at the Puerta del Sol . He also noted that the property had since been put back up for sale to raise funds to deal with wildfires in the region – an explanation he attributed to the regional administration.
The controversy began with media reports in late July 2026 about Planifica Madrid’s purchase of a luxury penthouse in Chamberí. According to the region, it was intended to serve as a temporary official residence while the Real Casa de Correos was being renovated. Criticism focused on the property’s size and layout, and above all on its legal classification, which is said to make conversion to office use difficult or impossible. In early August, the Comunidad de Madrid government announced the sale, citing an asking price of 6.7 million euros.
Opposition parties have since called for access to the full files, including valuation reports, the legal assessment of its suitability for use, financing documents and the precise details of the purchase through Planifica Madrid. The public prosecutor’s office has referred several complaints related to the matter to a court; a judicial review is therefore under way. No findings of possible misconduct have been made so far.
The regional government rejects accusations of a lack of transparency. It says that the reasons for the purchase and the subsequent decision to sell have been explained. Government representatives also stress that it was necessary to secure temporary office space during the construction work at the Real Casa de Correos. The opposition says the government’s stated intention to use the sale proceeds to deal with fire damage – including in the Sierra Oeste – has not been adequately substantiated.
Ten months before the regional elections, the case puts public property procurement practices and the interplay between political communication and administration in Madrid in the spotlight. Further clarification will depend on Planifica Madrid publishing the complete procurement documents, reliable assessments of the property's suitability, and the outcome of the prosecutorial and judicial reviews. Alberto Núñez Feijóo's latest statements are increasing pressure on the Comunidad de Madrid to document its decision-making processes transparently.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).