The PSOE will elect its candidates in October in 110 cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants

Meeting of the PSOE leadership on August 29. KIKE PARA

The PSOE has already taken the first step to have closed before the end of the year the election through primaries of its candidates for the regional and municipal elections of May 28, 2023. The process is designed to resolve the leadership in those communities, councils, island councils and cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants where the socialists are in opposition.

In those where the PSOE already governs, their positions will be eligible for re-election.

This is the case in nine regional presidencies and the mayoralties of 22 of the 52 provincial capitals.

The leadership of the PSOE approved on August 29 two proposals for holding the votes: October 9 and 16 or December 11 and 18.

The party bases will elect their candidates in less than a month in 110 municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants.

The exceptions will be, apart from the capital of Spain, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Los Llanos de Aridane, Agüimes, Arrecife and Teguise in the Canary Islands;

Almansa, Villarrobledo, Alcázar de San Juan, Puertollano, Valdepeñas and Illescas in Castilla-La Mancha;

Salamanca in Castile and Leon;

Torrevieja and Ontinyent in the Valencian Community;

Badajoz in Extremadura;

and Torre Pacheco in the Region of Murcia.

The candidacies for the presidency of the communities of Madrid and Murcia will also be resolved in October, although it is a formality, since the candidates have been clear for months and have the support of Ferraz and, by extension, La Moncloa.

The secretary general of the Madrid Socialists, Juan Lobato, will face Isabel Díaz Ayuso (PP), as will the Government delegate in Murcia, Paco Vélez, against Fernando López Miras (also from the PP).

Twelve communities will hold elections and the PP only governs in Madrid and Murcia, although an early election in Castilla y León is not ruled out.

The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the general meetings of the Basque Country, the Insular Council of Ibiza and the island councils of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura will also resolve their candidacies next month.

The election of the candidates in the municipalities with a population of less than 20,000 inhabitants will be carried out through a complete list, as established by the Federal Regulations for the Development of the Federal Statutes.

The framework calendar for holding the assemblies in these municipalities has been established between November 16 and January 12, 2023. The provincial executive commissions may agree to limit the term to order their processes.