Angel Mollá and Xelo Cascant, who were chosen by the Partido Popular four years ago as part of the government team in Muro, announced on Thursday that they are leaving the municipal group, ceasing to be members and withdrawing their militancy. They said they would run their own candidacy in the upcoming May municipal elections, bearing their own names and presenting a list under the banner of a new local project. While they depart the party line, Mollá and Cascant will remain in office and keep their current responsibilities in Social Welfare, Education, and Culture.
The move is presented as a principled stand against a regional PP leadership decision they describe as excluding them and the rest of the municipal group from the pre-election process. They explain that the regional leadership signaled an intention to back a candidate outside the existing team and the work already underway since 2019. During their remarks, Mollá and Cascant grew emotional at times, insisting that the treatment they received was not deserved, not only now but over the past 12 years when they served in opposition as well as in government.
Both councilors joined the municipal administration in 2007. Cascant has spent even longer with the PP, having joined seven years earlier. They emphasized that their departure was voluntary rather than a dismissal. Mollá, the most frequent mayoral candidate in 2019, 2015, and 2011, defended the decision to run a locally prepared list that had received council approval and was seen as a strong electoral option. Mollá noted that the process they accepted was the one put forward by the local group and the municipal administration, and that while they would use whatever platform is prepared for them, it would be at the council’s request. They also suggested that there was no internal refresh option offered to them, only an external path that would keep the work going with their candidacy.
The mayor acknowledged a possible cost associated with keeping initials inside a governing coalition and suggested this fact might have influenced the decision. Mollá argued that their aim was never to win the mayoralty but to contribute to the town’s development through the Wall project, stating that they had shown leadership by pushing important initiatives and sacrificing personal time for the benefit of the municipality. Cascant added that he had given his all in good times as well as in more challenging periods. He asserted that the team had managed a government without relying on opaque abbreviations and had kept the work transparent.
The governance landscape was further complicated by the sudden appointment of EU candidate Gabriel Tomás as mayor, with backing from four PP members and Ciudadanos, plus support from the second person on the left-wing list. This unlikely coalition blocked Compromís, which had the most votes, from governing despite sharing the same four councilors as the other leading group. Tomás and another fellow mayor, Kike Pascual, quickly resigned from their original party affiliations and remained independent for the remainder of the term. Despite ideological differences, the current government team’s path remained comparatively stable, with the new Muro administration forming after an unexpected development.
Possible distribution of votes
The formation of a new independent candidacy is seen by observers as a plausible way to consolidate center-right support, given that much of the PP’s 2019 vote share in Muro appears likely to shift toward Muro Avança. The field is not limited to Mollá and Cascant; Gabriel Tomás is expected to join Xarxa Muro as well. Mollá and Cascant remain optimistic about these developments and argue that votes should not be fragmented: the electorate will decide, they say. If the people choose representatives who are committed to the town from within their own community, they believe they will be ready to serve. Their aim is to attract voters across a broad ideological spectrum, leveraging the municipal sentiment behind their candidacy.
Council members Aida Martínez and Noelia Úbeda will stay with the PP municipal group for now. Still, the environment clearly points toward a transition after the elections, and there is no firm commitment that they will join Muro Avança. Mollá and Cascant indicated that the decision lies with their colleagues, noting that Martínez publicly announced her withdrawal from the PP in a press conference and that the mayor himself participated, signaling a shared stance. The possibility of joining Xarxa Muro remains on the table; Tomás has already compiled a list, and the regional PP decision to exclude Mollá and Cascant was only communicated to them lately. The pair insist they are open to agreement with all parties and power centers, and they acknowledge notable local support in these final days.
Sources and credit: the described events reflect local political reporting and public appearances; specifics may be subject to ongoing updates and statements from the various parties involved.