National spokesman for People's Party resigns amid party crisis
According to his explanation, he is leaving office to "dedicate himself exclusively" to his responsibilities as mayor of Madrid
The internal crisis that has torn the Spanish People's Party (PP) apart since last week has caused a new resignation.
José Luis Martínez-Almeida announced on Tuesday his resignation as national spokesperson for the Spanish main conservative party during the monthly plenary session of the Madrid City Council.
Almeida, who is also the mayor of the Spanish capital, has thus joined the list of resignations of leaders of the People's Party since the 'war' broke out last Thursday between the national boss of los populares, Pablo Casado, and the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso.
"After having a conversation with Pablo Casado, I announce that I am resigning from the national spokesperson for the PP," Almeida said.
According to his explanation, he is leaving office to "dedicate himself exclusively" to his responsibilities as mayor of Madrid.
Leadership clash
In the midst of the leadership clash within the PP, Almeida is at a crossroads.
His personal relationship with the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, is good, but politically he owes everything to the national leader.
Pablo Casado was the one who chose him to be a candidate for Mayor of Madrid and who appointed him as national spokesman.
On Tuesday, however, Almeida avoided publicly endorsing Casado's leadership, which is increasingly questioned by regional leaders of his party.
The rupture within the PP has also affected the Madrid City Council. It all started with the publication in the press of a story about an espionage plot against the regional president of Madrid that came from Almeida's team within the City Council.
Meanwhile, Pablo Casado is struggling to survive this crisis. He has called a meeting of regional PP leaders for Wednesday -Isabel Díaz Ayuso is not invited- to address the party's situation.
According to the newspaper El Mundo, at least 15 of the 17 regional presidents of the party will request the resignation of the national leader and the convening of a general assembly to elect a new leadership.