Francisco Martín has resigned as Madrid’s Government delegate after the PSOE left him off its congressional and Senate lists for the 29N general election. His exit follows clashes over the Puerta del Sol camp and police conduct.
The dispute over the Puerta del Sol encampment had become a direct clash between Madrid’s basic and regional administrations. Francisco Martín resigned on Sunday, 25 October 2026, as the Government’s delegate in the Community of Madrid, a post he had held since March 2023, around three years and seven months.
The Government Delegation said Martín believed the conditions for him to continue in the role no longer existed. He resigned after the PSOE left him off both its Congress and Senate lists for the general election scheduled for 29 November. Other government delegates, including Pilar Bernabé in Valencia and Adriana Lastra in Asturias, remained on PSOE lists.
Party selection has also caused friction elsewhere in the PSOE. In Palencia, another candidate dispute saw the party leadership replace the choice made by local members. In Madrid, Martín had tacitly backed Enma López in July’s primaries; Reyes Maroto won the selection to become the PSOE candidate for mayor. López was later removed from the leadership of the party’s municipal group after losing the contest.
Martín’s departure followed a series of disputes with the regional government led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The basic government’s delegate declined to order the removal of the Puerta del Sol encampment, which the regional executive wanted cleared. The camp was part of a protest over difficulties accessing housing, and Madrid City Hall was also involved in the dispute. Ayuso’s government accused Martín of acting illegally by refusing to order the camp’s removal.
The Delegation also ordered an inquiry into police charges involving teachers gathered outside an event featuring the regional president. The inquiry was intended to clarify the circumstances of the charges. The reported action was an investigation, not a finding of police misconduct. Police unions had already criticised Martín over his comments on police actions at education demonstrations in Ciudad Universitaria. Jupol, identified in reports as the largest National Police union, welcomed his resignation and urged his successor to prioritise public safety and support for officers.
Martín’s public profile was shaped by confrontations with Ayuso and Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida. The Puerta del Sol dispute was part of wider friction with the regional government and city authorities. He had also criticised Ayuso after her trip to Mexico in May. A PSOE member since 2000, Martín moved from technical and management work into senior party and government roles.
Before taking charge of the Government Delegation, he served as secretary-general of the Presidency. Earlier, he directed the Department for Planning and Monitoring Government Activity at the Presidency of the Government from 2020 to 2021. From 2018 to 2020, he headed the Technical Office of the Secretary-General of the Presidency and served as a Paradores board member.
