The local election authority in Valencia has opened sanction proceedings against Mayor María José Catalá The reason is a political video that the conservative politician recorded in her office and published on Instagram According to a report by news agency EFE, a fine of between €300 and €3,000 could be imposed. No decision to impose a sanction has yet been made.
In the video, Catalá announced on 23 October that she would stand as the lead candidate for the People’s Party in Valencia province in the Spanish parliamentary election on 29 November. Public broadcaster RTVE also reported her announcement. Spain’s Congress of Deputies, the more important of the parliament’s two chambers, is being elected.
The Valencian Socialists objected to the use of municipal premises for the political message. According to EFE, the election authority initially upheld the complaint of 29 October in so far as it considered the use of municipal premises impermissible even when a post was published through personal accounts. However, it initially refrained from opening sanction proceedings. Catalá was asked not to use public premises for such recordings again; she removed the post.
The Socialists appealed against the initial decision. On 4 November, the election authority for Valencia province partially upheld the appeal and ordered the local election authority to open sanction proceedings. This is according to EFE’s report, which cites the decision to open proceedings. The Capitol portal has also reported on the case.
The central issue is whether public premises may be used for a party-political announcement. According to the view of the election authority as reported, it is not decisive whether a post is published through a private or an institutional account. The use of public funds and premises to produce it is also relevant.
The proceedings concern an alleged breach of Spain’s electoral law and the principle of neutrality of public institutions. Whether a fine will be imposed, and how much it might be, remains open. The opening of proceedings does not mean that a penalty has already been set.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).