Former minister Reyes Maroto has won the Madrid PSOE primaries against Enma López by a margin of 204 votes. She will once again face the Popular Party's mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida in the 2027 municipal elections.
The former Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, will again be the PSOE candidate for the Mayor of Madrid after winning the party's primaries in the capital this Sunday. Maroto obtained 1,045 votes compared to 841 for her rival, the deputy spokesperson in the City Council, Enma López, according to data provided by the Madrid socialist group.
The difference of 204 votes was enough for Maroto to repeat as the leading candidate, although the result reflects a divided membership. Turnout was low: only about 1,900 of the 5,400 registered members voted, a 35% of the electorate, according to party sources. The polls were open from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, with an earlier schedule to avoid coinciding with the World Cup final.
An internal campaign marked by tension
Enma López's candidacy, announced unexpectedly three weeks ago, caused an internal upheaval in the Madrid PSOE. The party leadership in Ferraz accused her of "disloyalty" for launching her project just before the Federal Committee convened by Pedro Sánchez. Maroto, who was already a candidate in 2023, reproached her opponent for appropriating her roadmap and "preferring to be the protagonist", according to statements reported in national media.
The tension eased last Thursday during a debate organized by the regional leadership and moderated by journalist Julio de la Fuente. There, both candidates presented their proposals for the capital. López based her campaign on the slogan "it's time" and the need to "inspire" a membership that has been in municipal opposition for nearly four decades. Maroto, for her part, marketed her project as one of continuity and "going out to win like the red team", as she said while voting at the Centro Group.
The race for endorsements and Enma López's future
In the collection of endorsements, Maroto secured the support of 1,376 colleagues, while López achieved 1,028, both above the required 12%. However, López excelled in online endorsements: 587 to 186. That result hinted that the 40-year-old councillor from Vigo could make a surprise, but ultimately it did not happen. Her future within the party is uncertain, although the leadership hopes that things will return to normal and everyone will row in the same direction.
Maroto was supported during the campaign by most of the municipal group councillors and by figures such as the spokesperson in the Assembly of Madrid, Mar Espinar. The former minister already faced Almeida in 2023, obtaining 11 out of 59 councillors in contention, a slight improvement compared to previous elections. Now, the PSOE hopes that the wear and tear on the PP and the division of votes could turn the tide in the capital.
This Sunday's primary process was the second in the recent history of the Madrid PSOE. In 2019, the party experienced primaries that pitted Chema Dávila, Manuel de la Rocha, and Pepu Hernández against each other, which resulted in the worst historical results for the party in the capital. Maroto hopes not to repeat that setback and close the gap with the Popular Party at the polls in 2027.
For the people of Madrid, the news means that next year they will again have a well-known socialist candidate on the ballots, with government experience and who has already tested her strength against Almeida. The electoral campaign is expected to be intense, with the PSOE seeking to regain lost ground in a city governed by the PP since 1991.
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