Toni Miralles Niell returns the mayoralty to the socialists of Montuïri 40 years later

MontuïriThe plenary hall of the Montuïri Town Hall was too small to accommodate all the people who wanted to attend the inauguration of Toni Miralles NiellChocolatier as the new mayor of Montuïri. He has done so in compliance with the governing pact with MÉS per Montuïri, which gives the mayorship to the socialists until the end of this term and 42 years and one month after the last PSIB-PSOE mayor took office.

The Socialists' accession to the mayoralty comes after ten years of supporting the governing pact, which served to remove the PP from power after 28 consecutive years in office. Thus, in 2015, the Socialists provided external support to Joan Verger's governing team, and it was in this term that they included the option of holding the mayoralty within the municipal governing pact. The plenary session began a little over twenty minutes late due to the absence of a councilor from MÁS, who arrived late for work reasons. However, Toni Miralles Niell was elected the new mayor as planned. In his opening remarks, he explained that "through dialogue, participation, and the conviction that municipal politics is the service closest to the citizens, I invite you to walk together, to continue building a vibrant, cohesive, modern, sustainable town, proud of its identity."

The weight of history, and the 40 years without a socialist mayor, were also present in his speech. "I assume this responsibility with respect, with awareness of the historical significance of this moment, and with the commitment to represent our values with dignity, accessibility, and public service." He also addressed his fellow members of the governing coalition, noting that in recent years Montuïri has had "committed, responsible, and generous governing teams," and added that working with the outgoing mayor, Paula Maria Amengual Nicolau, has been characterized by "dialogue, institutional loyalty, and" that collaborative work is essential. Miralles also expressed his gratitude for the commitment and support of his party, the PSIB-PSOE, and especially his colleagues from the Montuïri Socialist Group. He also thanked the PP, the opposition party, saying: "I ask for a constructive, rigorous, and responsible opposition. An opposition that looks after the good of the people and is capable of contributing with ideas and proposals."

In his inaugural address, he also made references to his voters "for their trust" and to the people in general: "I pledge to listen, engage in dialogue, and act with fairness, always with the common good in mind."

Finally, he thanked his family. Miralles is the son of Gabriel Miralles Pizà, a long-time socialist in the town, and he couldn't help but get emotional when he mentioned that he will be a father: "In a few months, I will have the great joy of becoming a father for the first time. And this new stage has made me reflect even more on what kind of town we want to leave for future generations."

Antich, a role model

In fact, the importance of the event was evident in the support it received from its party, with the presence of Alfons Rodríguez, the central government's delegate; Amanda Fernández, the general secretary of the Socialist Federation of Mallorca; Tolo Aguilar, the party's president; and the secretaries of organization for the PSIB, Cosme Bonet, and the FSM, Ares Fernández. The socialist delegation was completed by Catalina Cladera, Mercedes Garrido, Bea Gamundí, Jaime Mateu, Joan Méndez, and Miquel Àngel Coll, and one of the two socialist mayors of Pla de Mallorca, Pep Lluís Urraca, from Santa Eugenia. The mayor of Algaida, Margalida Fullana, was unable to attend because the Montuïri plenary session coincided with the regular session of the Algaida Town Council. Also present was Catalina Perelló, a socialist councilor from San Juan, who will be elected mayor of her town in early 2026, where she has a coalition agreement with MÁS. From that moment on, the PSIB will hold four mayoralties in the Pla de Mallorca. Regarding the socialist family, Miralles paid tribute to Francesc Antich, who died last January: "Allow me to remember, with special emotion, a person who was an undisputed role model for many of us and, above all, a friend: former president Francesc Antich." He highlighted "his generosity, his commitment, and his loyalty." "He left us a few months ago, but his example and his way of understanding politics continue to influence us," he added. With the inauguration of Toni Miralles Niell, the socialists of Montuïri return to the mayor's office after 40 years, since Joan Miralles Julià was the last socialist mayor.FelanitxerHe became mayor after the 1983 elections. In those 1983 elections, Miquel Cardell (AP-PDP-UL) was initially elected mayor. He only held the position from June to November, when, after an appeal to the electoral board filed by the Socialists, the majority shifted to what would become a pact between them and the PSM of Francesc Trobat, who had already been mayor during the first democratic term (1979-83). Miralles Julià was mayor between 1983 and 1985. Thus, Miralles Niell now becomes the town's second Socialist mayor since the return of democracy. Finally, it should be noted that in his speech, Miralles referred to his involvement in the town's community organizations. The local brass band, the Cossiers (a local association), and other sports and cultural organizations have all seen Miralles actively participate.