Ramón Espinar Gallego, a prominent figure in Madrid’s PSOE, has died at 72 after a long degenerative illness. His son, Ramón Espinar Merino, who once led Podemos in Madrid, confirmed the news on social media. Condolences came from across the political spectrum, including Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid. The Ayuntamiento de Leganés, where Espinar served as mayor, also acknowledged his death and expressed support for his family.
Espinar’s political life brought early achievements and later controversy. Born in Úbeda (Jaén) in 1954, he became mayor of Leganés in 1979, following Spain’s first democratic municipal elections. In 1983, he was named the first president of the Assembly of Madrid, a role he held until 1987. He later joined Joaquín Leguina’s regional government, serving first as Culture Minister and then as Finance Minister, and helped shape policy during a formative period for the region. Reports from EPE and Democrata describe Espinar as a central figure in Madrid’s political changes during the early years of democracy.
His later years were overshadowed by the Caja Madrid "tarjetas opacas" scandal. After leaving frontline politics in 1995, Espinar joined the board of Caja Madrid. He was among 65 people convicted of misusing opaque credit cards. The National Court sentenced him to a year in prison and fined him €3,600. The conviction became a lasting part of his public record, as recent coverage by EPE noted.
Espinar’s family responded to his death with a brief, dignified message. His son, who left politics in 2019 after the split between Más Madrid and Podemos, thanked those who had supported his father during his illness. No further details about the illness have been made public; it was described as long and severe.
Reactions from Madrid’s political establishment came quickly, but remained measured. Díaz Ayuso’s public message reflected the respect Espinar continued to command despite the controversies of his later years. His time as Assembly president coincided with a period of rapid change in Madrid, and his later government roles influenced the region’s cultural and financial policies.
Espinar’s career reflects the complicated nature of political legacies in Spain. His early years captured the optimism of the democratic transition, while his later involvement in financial scandal echoed the public’s recurring doubts about institutions. His son came from a different party and generation, rose in politics, then stepped away, a path that points to the cycles shaping Spanish public life. As with gaps in official data on migration reported earlier, Espinar’s story shows how the public record can leave questions unanswered. His death closes the chapter on a figure who helped build Madrid’s institutions, though his legacy will remain the subject of debate.
