Alberto Núñez Feijóo publicly supports Isabel Díaz Ayuso as the PP faces internal and external pressure over the luxury apartment controversy. The party signals confidence ahead of elections while tensions with Pedro Sánchez escalate.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo made a public show of support for Isabel Díaz Ayuso at the PP’s political season kickoff in Getafe, signaling that party leaders are standing behind the Madrid president despite ongoing questions about the luxury apartment purchase. The event was marked by jokes and a relaxed mood, with the party intent on projecting unity as it prepares for upcoming elections and criticism from both opponents and within its own ranks.
Ayuso, still facing scrutiny over the high-end apartment bought by the Community of Madrid for her use, was at the center of attention—not for the details of the scandal, but for how the party handled it. Feijóo avoided mentioning the apartment directly, a silence many in the room took as a deliberate move to shift focus to the electoral campaign. Instead, he praised Ayuso’s work on wildfire recovery and cast her as a central figure in the PP’s effort to challenge the current government. According to official statements and Spanish media, the controversy centers on the Comunidad de Madrid’s April 2026 purchase of a penthouse in Chamberí for €6.3 million, initially described as a temporary office during renovations at the Real Casa de Correos. The deal quickly drew criticism because of legal limits on residential use and questions about transparency.
After media revelations in late July, the regional government announced it would sell the penthouse and direct the proceeds to wildfire recovery efforts.
The atmosphere at the Hotel Exe Getafe was far from tense. Party officials traded jokes, and Ayuso herself poked fun at Pedro Sánchez’s supposed fixation on her, quipping, "if I were Begoña, I’d be annoyed." Local PP candidate José Antonio Mesa took a more aggressive tone, calling for the end of "sanchismo" and labeling opponents as "traitors." His remarks drew both laughter and some discomfort from senior party members nearby.
Despite the light mood, the message was clear: the PP is gearing up for a tough fight in Madrid and nationally. Feijóo outlined a strategy of direct confrontation with Sánchez’s government, accusing it of being "hostile to the invaded and docile to the invaders," and raising issues of security and border defense. He insisted Spain should not have to apologize for protecting its borders, referencing recent incidents in Ceuta and concerns about public safety. Meanwhile, the fallout from the penthouse purchase continued. Más Madrid filed a complaint with the Tribunal de Cuentas and joined the case as acusación popular, alleging possible financial and legal wrongdoing in the €6.3 million transaction. The matter is now under review by both the Court of Auditors and Madrid’s Juzgado de Instrucción nº 8, raising the stakes for Ayuso and her team.
Ayuso responded with even sharper rhetoric. She mocked Sánchez’s stature compared to the King and predicted he would end up in "one of the banana dictatorships he likes so much." Her remarks, full of personal jabs and references to official privilege, showed her willingness to take on the role of the PP’s main attacker while Feijóo positions himself as the party’s candidate for prime minister. Ayuso and her team have said the apartment was never meant as a personal residence but as a temporary administrative space, and she has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as a "smear campaign," later closing the topic publicly with the phrase "Está en venta."
Pedro Sánchez intensified the controversy on August 31 by publicly suggesting that Ayuso intended to buy a huge penthouse with public funds for her own use, a claim the Madrid government called 'patética' and categorically denied. The PP, meanwhile, has made a point of not mentioning the penthouse in official events, focusing instead on a strategy of confrontation with Sánchez and emphasizing party unity ahead of both national and Madrid elections.
Behind the scenes, party leaders have been urging Madrid deputies to defend Ayuso more actively, especially online, after criticism that they were too passive during the apartment scandal. The message from Getafe was clear: internal divisions will not be tolerated, and the PP wants to present a united front against outside "attacks" and efforts to weaken Ayuso’s position.
As the event ended, Ayuso and Feijóo went their separate ways, but the image of unity was firmly established. The PP’s approach is straightforward: move past the scandal, emphasize a sense of siege, and focus party energy on the electoral fight ahead. This may not resolve questions about transparency or discipline, but it shows a party willing to put power ahead of internal debate. In the current Spanish political climate, that kind of unity may prove more effective than any public reckoning with controversy.
