The new socialist spokesperson in the Málaga City Council, Pablo Ruiz Araujo, claims that the mayor no longer has a project for the capital and that his announcement of re-election is an electoral ploy.
The PSOE spokesperson in the Málaga City Council, Pablo Ruiz Araujo, has harshly criticized the management of Francisco de la Torre, whom he considers outdated after 26 years at the helm of the city. In an interview with this newspaper, the socialist stated that "De la Torre's time is over" and that the capital needs "another planning" that puts citizens at the centre.
Criticism of housing policy
Ruiz Araujo has pointed to access to housing as "the mayor's main failure". According to data from the municipal socialist group, Málaga has surpassed Madrid in sale and rental prices, and a couple needs ten years of full salary to buy an apartment. "We far exceed the 30% threshold of salaries to pay rent," he denounced, and criticized De la Torre for inviting Málaga residents to move to other municipalities.
The spokesperson insisted that the city model is "extractive" and not reciprocal: residents pay taxes but do not receive commensurate services. As an example, he cited that of the 90,000 accommodations in the capital, only 14,000 are hotels, while the rest are spaces that should be residential.
Electoral ploy and protégé
Regarding De la Torre's announcement to run again in 2027, Ruiz Araujo described it as a "trick" to hide a possible successor. "I am absolutely convinced it is an electoral ploy," he stated. The socialist believes that the president of the Provincial Council, Patricia Navarro, will not be the candidate because she is aiming for re-election in the provincial institution, and suggested that "the number three on the PP list could surprise us."
In his opinion, De la Torre has overstayed his last term and the PP has clung to him due to a lack of alternatives. "They are providing old solutions to new problems after almost 30 years," he lamented.
Pending projects and cleanliness
The socialist spokesperson also reproached the mayor for his management of major projects such as World Cup 2030, the renovation of La Rosaleda, Expo 2027, or the reform of the Guadalmedina River. "How long is he going to sell us this last project?" he asked. Additionally, he denounced the lack of cleanliness in neighbourhoods, with the presence of rats and cockroaches.
When asked about his possible candidacy for the mayoralty, Ruiz Araujo avoided commenting: "Right now, I am focused 24/7 on municipal management. When we get closer to that moment, I will evaluate it." However, he made it clear that he has "no shortage of strength" for the challenge.
"The city needs to propose a future scenario of 10 or 15 years. It cannot be that Málaga residents cannot live in the capital and have to leave"
The socialist concluded that his party will not make a "clean slate" with the stage of Daniel Pérez, now an Andalusian parliamentarian, but will transform the methods to offer a real alternative to De la Torre's government.
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