A judge has ordered San Fulgencio Town Hall to immediately reconvene the suspended plenary session to debate and vote on a motion of no confidence against JosĂ© MarĂa Ballester, ruling that the original suspension was unlawful.
The decision by the Administrative Court No. 1 of Elche upholds a legal challenge brought by PSOE councillors and declares that the June 18, 2025 suspension of the extraordinary plenary session violated councillors’ fundamental constitutional rights. The session was halted by the so-called “age committee”, made up of two People’s Party councillors, who ruled the motion inadmissible and abruptly closed the meeting.
The judge ruled that blocking a motion of censure strikes at the heart of democratic representation, stressing that such motions are a core constitutional tool for political oversight. The court rejected the Town Hall’s argument that one of the signatories was ineligible, citing Constitutional Court rulings that struck down legal provisions previously used to invalidate such votes.
In an unusually forceful move, the court ordered the ruling to be personally served on the two councillors who halted the session, warning they could face criminal charges for disobedience if they fail to comply.
The ruling clears the way for the motion of no confidence to be debated and voted on without further obstruction. The PSOE has demanded that regional PP leaders immediately instruct their councillors to comply with the judgment and stop what it calls the “blocking of the democratic will” of the municipality.
Mayor Ballester has previously said he would abide by the courts’ decisions. An appeal may be lodged within 15 days — but unless overturned, the no-confidence showdown must now go ahead.
