The decision of Spain’s Constitutional Court marked a turning point in Madrid’s political life. For the first time in a long while, the opposition gained the ability to initiate investigations that had previously been blocked by the Assembly’s leadership. This development could shift the balance of power in regional politics and impact the future of key figures linked to the management of the capital’s healthcare system.
Judicial intervention
The Constitutional Court lifted the ban imposed by the Madrid Assembly leadership on a number of initiatives related to the activities of Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, chief of staff to the regional president. Previously, most inquiries from opposition parties such as PSOE and Más Madrid had been blocked from consideration. Now, seven requests to summon Rodríguez for hearings and nine more initiatives have been given the green light.
Most of these initiatives address healthcare management during the pandemic and the decisions made at that time. The opposition insists on a thorough review of contracts signed under emergency conditions and demands explanations for the actions and possible mistakes of the leadership.
Political reaction
The response from political forces was predictably sharp. Representatives of Más Madrid and PSOE stated that the court’s decision was not an act of goodwill by the regional government, but rather a forced measure following serious legal pressure. Deputy María Pastor openly accused the Partido Popular of attempting to hide inconvenient topics and manipulate the rules to protect the interests of the regional president.
Meanwhile, representatives of the ruling party are trying to defuse the situation. They point out that out of tens of thousands of questions considered, the court found the actions of the Assembly’s leadership to be inappropriate in only 16 cases. They emphasize that these were isolated incidents, not a systemic issue.
New opportunities for the opposition
As a result of the court’s decision, the opposition gained a real tool to oversee the actions of the executive branch. Hearings will now begin in the Madrid Assembly, where Miguel Ángel Rodríguez will have to answer questions about his role in healthcare management and about controversial contracts signed at the height of the pandemic.
In addition, the agenda includes discussion of initiatives to establish a commission to investigate procurement and collaboration between public and private entities in the medical sector. For the first time in a long while, the opposition can expect a comprehensive review of its proposals.
Further developments
Vox has not stood aside either. Its representatives reminded that they continue to seek the right to freely submit their own initiatives and demand respect for parliamentary procedures. They emphasized that their own proposals had also been rejected by the Assembly leadership, prompting them to file a separate lawsuit with the Constitutional Court.
In the coming weeks, the Madrid Assembly is facing tense debates and possibly new revelations. The court’s decision has sent a signal to all political forces: the rules of the game are changing, and now no side can be certain of the inviolability of its previous positions.
