• City Council The new Government of Almeida: rewards its faithful, continuity line and leaves out Levy and two former counselors of Ayuso
  • Investiture Almeida's declaration of intent: "For Spain, Madrid will continue to be the symbol of the Constitution"

Under the Crystal Gallery of the Palacio de Cibeles, many of those attending the investiture of José Luis Martínez-Almeida looked compulsively at his watch. Your watch or your mobile, of course. As catering quelled the ferocious midday appetite, councillors and technicians kept wondering when the news would break out. When the mayor would make public his new government team. When would they know their place from tomorrow. "He hasn't said anything to anyone, he has everything in his head," repeated over and over again everyone who was asked about the matter. There was also Predrag Mijatovic, legend of Real Madrid, oblivious to the stir for that future Executive, and invited by a brother of the councilor himself. "I'll channel them with football," joked the former Balkan footballer. And although it was the focus of a good handful of selfies, the claim of a large number of looks, everyone watched sideways at Almeida, who had everything locked away.

On the way to 16.00 hours, in the middle of Madrid's embarrassment, sweating even the Cibeles, the framework of his second municipal bet saw (finally) the light. And he did it confirming that his left and right hands were going to be even stronger. Inmaculada Sanz, rewarded with the vice mayor (public for weeks), maintains the spokesperson and the Security and Emergency Area, as in the previous four years. And Borja Carabante adds to his work of Environment and Mobility, the demanding task of Urbanism, which will have the challenge of reforming the obsolete rules that prevail in the city. Carabante, who will also serve as second deputy mayor, will have the help of José Antonio Martínez Páramo, who will lead the Delegated Area of Cleaning and Green Zones, although the last contracts had been signed by the mayor himself in the previous mandate.

Inma Sanz talks with José Luis Martínez-Almeida.JAVIER BARBANCHOMUNDO

A great challenge for both in this government of the absolute majority, which was celebrated yesterday by the people who accompany them in their adventure. A step that increases the demands of their work and, also, that perfectly explains the harmony that both keep with the mayor. Although yesterday no one claimed to know anything about Almeida's plans, some of them already knew what his fate was going to be.

The core of his first term will have continuity, and not only because of the demanding missions for Sanz and Carabante. Paloma García Romero will continue as head of Works and Equipment, while Engracia Hidalgo will bring together Economy, Innovation and Finance, with the continuity also of Ángel Niño, signed from Ciudadanos, in the delegated area of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Hidalgo receives the competences of Economy that Miguel Ángel Redondo had coordinated, also orange piece in the coalition Executive.

The Rivera de la Cruz Mystery

Despite the shock of the movement of Núñez Feijóo, recruiting for his national lists the former counselor Marta Rivera de la Cruz, who will be number two for Madrid, Almeida has not changed his initial idea. She, third deputy mayor, will be the one who directs (you will know until when) the Area of Culture, Tourism and Sport that until now was in the hands of Andrea Levy. The outgoing councilor awaits the district of Retiro. Almudena Maíllo also repeats in Tourism and Sonia Cea replaces Sofía Miranda in Sport. We will see what happens after July 23, if Feijóo assaults La Moncloa. The mayor will probably have to pull an alternative out of his sleeve. No one would be surprised if he pulled old acquaintances again. But that's another story.

There will be seven Areas that make up this Government of Cibeles, where José Fernández, until now councilor of the Centro and Salamanca districts, will take over from Pepe Aniorte in the work of Social Policies, Family and Equality. While it bursts as a novelty, due to the relevance that the matter has acquired, and as one of the priorities of the Consistory, the Area of Housing Policies, where Álvaro González, until yesterday councilor of Carabanchel and responsible for the Municipal Housing and Land Company (EMVS), will be its delegate.

No trace in those executive tasks for two of the three counselors of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community. From now on, the function of Carlos Izquierdo and David Pérez will be to direct the districts of Carabanchel and Hortaleza, respectively. Anyone would say that it is a kind of pulse to the Sun. See.

It was the final fireworks, the most anticipated fireworks, of an intense first day of the course that started in the Plenary Hall. With Begoña Villacís in farewell format, even greeting Esperanza Aguirre Ayuso, who shared one of the balconies. Not far from there was Almeida's new love, Teresa Urquijo, who did not miss a detail of the emotional coronation speech of the alderman. "I'm sure my parents, Rafael and Angela, will be watching me. I have no more valuable resources than those instilled in me by them. This will be the four years that begin, and so it will always be, "he said, with Reyes Maroto and Rita Maestre in the front row of that new lateral bench that will share for four years Más Madrid and PSOE.

"An arbitrary roller"

A redesign of the armchairs that since yesterday lacks orange. In that background will now be Javier Ortega Smith, with his four colleagues from Vox. The party's spokesman issued a warning to Almeida during his speech. "That majority can lead him to the temptation of turning it into an arbitrary roller and thinking that everything is fine and he feels legitimized by that absolute majority," Ortega Smith, spokesman for the formation, who for weeks thought he could be an important part of that Executive that dawned yesterday at the Palacio de Cibeles. He was wrong, just like those who played to make pools with that new drawing of the mayor for the next four years.

"For Spain, Madrid will continue to be the best symbol of the Constitution, and in this endeavor I commit myself to work and dedicate my efforts," he amplified his message in a national key. "It has been a very hard and complicated job that we did these four years with enormous difficulties: never so few did so much for this city," he abounded about those 15 councilors who have allowed him to lead the city in coalition since 2019. In that group, to his left and right, were Inmaculada Sanz and Borja Carabante. Or the other way around. No matter the order. From now on they have many of the superpowers of the municipal cabinet.

Yesterday's was the first pedal stroke of a route that starts next Monday. Today is a day of reflection and recharging batteries for what lies ahead on the horizon. The awakening of an intense journey, where a new absolute majority will be explored that will undoubtedly be an intense test for Almeida. Even more than those with whom he managed to circumvent the trappings of his opposition. A city depends on it.

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