Harsh criticism of the mayor of Sencelles in a tense meeting marked by the resignation of El Pi council members.

SimpleThe plenary session in which two councilors from El Pi, Jerònia Campaner and Miquel Fiol, resigned as municipal representatives was marked by tension, silence, and harsh criticism of the mayor, Joan Carles Verd. The fourth councilor from the regionalist party, Pedro Llabrés, also resigned from his position on the governing team, but has decided to retain his position as councilor and remain in the opposition.

Sencelles City Council was led from the beginning of the term by the pact between El Pi (4), Volem Sencelles (1) and the PSIB (1). In opposition are the PP (4) and MÁS (1). Now, the government team is in a minority with the loss of Councilor Llabrés, who will be in the opposition as an unaffiliated councilor. Campanero and Fiol will be replaced by Marga Robles and Tomeu Florit, numbers 5 and 7 on the El Pi lists, who will take office soon.

Of all those involved in this debacle that has shaken Sencelles City Council, the one who has launched the most reproaches at the mayor has been Jerònia Campaner, who this term has experienced her first foray into the world of politics. The woman who until a few days ago served as Councilor for Culture, Youth, Fairs, and Festivals has stated that she is leaving "due to ethical and moral differences with the mayor. The undersigned understands that values, consistency, and dignity should always have a place within the world of politics, understood as a service to the people." She also added that she has been "deceived, used, undervalued, and coerced." She then mentioned the fact that in the previous elections, "she was invited to be part of this project for four years," adding that midway through the term, "she was invited by the mayor to give up her position in favor of a relative, and then felt coerced into having to make a decision: either step forward or withdraw and leave me with conditions or intentions. With two years until the next elections and given the current situation, this type of dilemma can only result in this resignation." She also mentioned the fact that "despite being aware that the position of councillor is personal and non-transferable, with great sadness and disappointment I consider that, given the circumstances described, it is an act of responsibility and generosity for the good of the town and the people of Sencelles to resign from the position."

Miquel Fiol

The former mayoral delegate of Biniali, the now veteran Miquel Fiol, did not speak at the plenary session, but in subsequent statements to the media, he denied having felt coerced into leaving the council. "I've been a councilor for twenty years, and it was already a bit of a burden," he said, adding that "I will be succeeded by my daughter, and I will help her however I can, just as she has always helped me." In this sense, with this restructuring, his daughter, Joana Victoria Fiol, who was number 15 on the El Pi list, will be appointed mayor of Biniali as an unelected position. Referring to his two colleagues who resigned, Fiol said that he believed Jerònia Campaner "should have stayed for two more years."

Pedro Llabrés, for his part, remained particularly serious throughout the session and only nodded briefly when representatives of other parties thanked him for his work of more than twenty years as a City Councilor. At the end of the session, he stood up and was the first to leave the room, declining to make any statements to the press.

Consensual decision

In his closing remarks, Juan Carlos Verde thanked the three councilors, especially the two who "are lifelong political colleagues." Regarding Jerònia Campaner, he said: "It's true that I went to her, and I understand very much, and I feel very bad that she has that feeling toward me." "I've always carried out this entire action with the aim of improving the governing team and its dynamics, thinking about the future," but "I wasn't understood, or I didn't explain myself very well, or I probably didn't know how to phrase my words. I may have made mistakes, as I have so many times," he admitted.

However, he added that "I have done all of this given the situation we had in the governing team last February and the one we should have at the end of this term." "I know I have disappointed many people, and people I admire and respect greatly, but I have always acted with the best intentions, and I have no choice but to continue assuming this responsibility knowing that I have disappointed many people." He added that "I also have to say that it was raised with the committee, it was discussed there, and at that time it was a consensual decision."

Before that, the spokespersons for all the groups with representation had words of gratitude and praise for Campaner, Fiol, and Llabrés.