Junts per Catalunya has challenged Ripoll Mayor Sílvia Orriols over the urgent appointment of her daughter as an interim officer in the local police force. The party, the only group on the town council to openly confront Orriols on the issue, has called on her to relinquish her authority over security matters and prevent a conflict of interest, given her dual role as mayor and head of the police force. The dispute also draws attention to her leadership of Aliança Catalana.
The controversy centers on the hiring of Guinadell Orriols, the mayor’s eldest daughter, through an emergency procedure justified by what the council described as an “unavoidable need” to ensure public safety. The fast-track process contrasts with a previously announced competitive exam for police positions, delayed for six months after its launch in January.
On 29 July 2026, Junts councillor Ferran Raigon asked Orriols to transfer her security responsibilities to another councillor while the appointment remained contested. During a council session, Raigon reminded her of past criticism of political opponents for allegedly favoring relatives in public appointments. He said she was the first mayor in Ripoll’s history to have a family member on the municipal payroll and argued that her direct oversight of the police could create a perception of bias. El Nacional reported that Raigon framed his request as a way to avoid a conflict of interest.
Orriols rejected the demand. She said the selection process was conducted properly and that she interacts only with the police operational chief, not individual officers. She argued there was no incompatibility, saying her daughter’s appointment was not a personal decision but the result of a formal selection process. Orriols added that she had considered advising her daughter not to apply but ultimately saw no reason to prevent her from taking part.
The debate intensified when Raigon accused the mayor of telling only “half the truth,” saying she had set the terms of the selection process and chosen the evaluation panel members. He cited legal requirements for public officials to recuse themselves from decisions involving family members. Orriols responded that she had only validated the candidate list provided by technical staff and had delegated the appointment’s final signing to another councillor. El Nacional reported that she defended the selection panel as not having been chosen at random and denied seeking to benefit a relative.
Municipal secretary Gerard Soldevila defended the process, noting that the urgency could have justified an even simpler procedure. Questions remain about the timing: the competitive process for a permanent police position was reactivated only in June, coinciding with the fast-track appointment of Orriols’s daughter. The list of candidates who passed the exam’s first stage was published just days after the interim appointment was made by mayoral decree.
A council spokesperson clarified that there are no fixed deadlines between approval of exam criteria and the official call for candidates. The competition for a permanent police role, which awards points for prior police experience, is still awaiting the formation of a selection panel. Guinadell Orriols is among the nine candidates eligible for the process.
In a later interview with La Vanguardia, Orriols rejected the opposition’s allegations and said, “They can say whatever they want.” She also disputed the description of an opposition report as independent, saying its author had been on Junts’s payroll for 19 years. Orriols said the alleged irregularities had been rebutted by the legal services of Ripoll town hall and Aliança Catalana. These statements reflect her position in the dispute; the controversy has continued as a political and procedural debate.
In a personal exchange, Orriols questioned Raigon’s own actions, referring to his request to complete an internship at a municipal facility and asking whether she had denied it because of his political role. The exchange highlighted the broader debate over ethical standards in local government appointments.
The dispute carries particular political weight in Ripoll, Aliança Catalana’s base. The party’s rise has been associated with anti-immigration and anti-Muslim politics. Al Jazeera has reported on the town’s connection to the cell involved in planning the 2017 Barcelona attack, which killed 16 people and was claimed by Islamic State. It also described how the attack shaped local debate over security and integration. That wider context informs scrutiny of control over the local police but does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing in the hiring process.
The situation in Ripoll reflects wider scrutiny of public-sector hiring practices in Catalonia, where political divisions and transparency concerns have emerged in other recent cases. The reappointment of David Bondia as Barcelona’s ombudsman also drew attention to the selection process and the role of political influence, as detailed in this report on the city council’s divided vote.
In Spain, public officials are legally required to avoid participating in decisions that could benefit close relatives, a rule intended to uphold impartiality and public trust. Orriols continued to hold the security portfolio after rejecting Junts’s request. The debate in Ripoll highlights the challenge local governments face in addressing urgent staffing needs while maintaining transparency and public confidence. The outcome of the permanent police recruitment process, including whether Guinadell Orriols secures a long-term position, remains under close scrutiny.
