Kichi announces that he will not stand for re-election as mayor of Cádiz in 2023

José María González, 'Kichi', leaves his office in the Cádiz City Hall. Fernando Ruso (EL PAÍS)

The mayor of Cádiz, José María González,

, has confirmed this Wednesday through a Twitter message that he will not stand for re-election for a third term in the next municipal elections in May 2023. The leader of Adelante Cádiz has complied as well as the commitment he made at the beginning of his political career to not hold public office for more than eight years, to which he ran in the spring of 2015. "I will leave calm because in my team there is brilliance, capacity and enthusiasm to illuminate a future better for the city", he stated in his statement, accompanied by a video in which he addressed the residents of the city to explain his reasons.

Honesty, coherence and the value of the word given to the people

I announce that I maintain my commitment and I will not run for re-election as mayor of Cádiz

And I will leave calm because in my team there is brilliance, capacity and enthusiasm to illuminate a better future for the city pic.twitter.com/qJkEoCIZae

– José María González ۞ (@JM_Kichi) November 23, 2022

In reality, González himself has communicated his decision live to members of his party, friends and family in a private assembly held this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Right at the end of it is when the councilor has made a "personal" decision public on his social networks, as he himself has defined it.

With the announcement, he has put an end to months of speculation in which it was first considered that he was going to run for office again and then that he would not, according to González, he was in charge of denying, although maintaining the unknown until now.

“I have always thought that politics should not be a job, nor a way of earning a living, but rather an act of voluntary commitment, an act of love and generosity that has to be temporary so as not to give any opportunity to vanity, to tyranny, corruption, routine”,

The moment chosen is not accidental.

Adelante Andalucía is currently keeping the primary process open and potential candidates will be able to apply until next Sunday.

On the table to run as headliner of the party for the municipal elections, various names sound, such as Lola Calzadilla, current mayor of Culture, or David de la Cruz, adviser, spokesperson for Adelante Cádiz and member of the lists in the last Andalusian elections.

Both appear together with the mayor, in addition to other close charges, in his farewell video.

However, they have not yet confirmed whether or not they will finally opt for the primary process.