The political alliance between Partido Popular (PP) and Vox in Alcalá de Henares entered a critical phase after Mayor Judith Piquet (PP) removed Víctor Acosta (Vox) from his role as second deputy mayor. The decision followed formal complaints from two municipal employees accusing Acosta of sexual and workplace harassment, with separate claims involving threats and a breach of confidentiality. The development put pressure on the coalition governing one of the most populous cities in the Madrid region.
The dismissal came after weeks of internal strain within the local government. Municipal sources said Piquet’s move followed a loss of political and institutional trust in Acosta, citing his public statements and conduct. The PP also pointed to Vox’s refusal to support the city budget, which had stalled basic financial decisions since December. Conservatives said Vox had demanded access to municipal accounting records, a request that technical staff did not endorse.
In response to the budget deadlock, the PP-led administration proposed a €68 million budget modification, which Vox opposed. Acosta then issued a public statement questioning the government team’s integrity and hinting at possible irregularities without naming individuals or providing specific evidence. The PP argued that his continued presence in a senior government role conflicted with his public expression of distrust in coalition partners.
Acosta retained other municipal responsibilities after losing the deputy-mayor post, including his roles as Vox’s municipal spokesman and president of the Ciudad Deportiva Municipal. In October, opposition criticism focused on that presidency. On 21 October, Más Madrid called on Piquet to remove him. Spokesperson Rosa Romero said Acosta should not “continue blaming others for what happens under his presidency” and that the mayor “must answer politically” for keeping him in the post. The criticism concerned the sports body’s management, including its heating-oil contract, and was separate from the harassment complaints.
A separate dispute over Ciudad Deportiva was reported the following day, when the PSOE called for wage payments to be regularized for about 30 workers at the Espartales facility, whose contractor was Instinto Deportivo. The party blamed Acosta and Piquet, describing the body’s management as “chaotic and plagued by irregularities,” information from Dream Alcalá. Those statements were political allegations about worker payments and management, not findings about the harassment complaints against Acosta.
The coalition nevertheless showed it could still cooperate on municipal finances. On 20 October, the Alcalá plenary approved a €31.5 million budget modification backed by the PP and Vox: €16.3 million was allocated to outstanding obligations and €15.2 million to debt repayment. The commitments covered street cleaning and water treatment, with funding also tied to the Mancomunidad del Este. The measure was expected to bring municipal debt to €81,023,456.86, down 27.29%, or more than €30.4 million, from June 2023. PP finance councillor and group spokesman Gustavo Severien thanked Vox and Acosta for their “responsibility and support for a measure that allows the city to meet obligations, reduce debt and look after residents’ resources.”
The same fiscal plan includes a scheduled reduction in Alcalá’s property-tax rate, known as the IBI, to 0.40% in 2027, the minimum legal rate for urban properties under the general regime, as reported by El Periódico de España. The city estimated that the combined tax measures would save taxpayers €4,971,119.75. The vote showed that political conflict had not stopped the two groups from approving a major financial measure together.
The coalition’s future remains politically sensitive as the next municipal elections approach in spring 2027. Vox said its legal team was working with Acosta on the complaints and rejected both the harassment allegations and what it called “parallel trials.” The party argued that the accusations were being used to distract from issues it had raised about local management.
PP-Vox coalition agreements have faced challenges in other municipalities, including Móstoles, Torrelodones and Leganés. Alcalá de Henares, a city of more than 200,000 residents, has been governed by the two parties since the 2023 municipal elections. The dispute over Acosta, alongside separate opposition criticism of the Ciudad Deportiva, has put the durability of their partnership at the center of local politics ahead of the next electoral cycle.
