Spanish Mayors
Edited by Alidad Vassigh*

20 August 2011: Spain consists of 8,109 municipalities in 17 regions. Local council elections are held every four years. The last one was held in May 2011. The election produced a landslide victory for the conservative People's Party (PP). In the popular vote, the PP won nationwide by 38 per cent to 28 per cent for the PSOE.

Spain’s municipalities are governed by the city council. City councillors are elected by popular vote. The number of councillors varies, according to the number of residents, from five to 25.

The president of the city council is the mayor, who is elected by and from the councillors. Mayors organize, suspend and lead the sessions and debates of the plenary and of other municipal organs. They are also the highest representative authority of the municipality and responsible for its government and administration. Mayors' responsibilities include: Environment, roads, urban planning and water. Mayors of larger municipalities are also responsible for culture, environment, fire services, social services, transport and waste.

Mayors can be removed from office by a ‘constructive vote of no-confidence’ meaning that the censure motion must also propose a new candidate to avoid a power vacuum.

Mayors of the largest Spanish cities
(Readers are invited to supply information on additional Spanish cities and mayors. Please insert ‘Spanish mayors’ in the subject line of any emails.)