The resolution, signed on August 7 by the Speaker of the Plenary, Borja Fanjul, confirms that the internal disciplinary proceedings leading to the departure of both councilors from the party have been completed. The General Secretariat of Vox, led by Ignacio Garriga, provided the necessary documentation to formalize their status.
Before the summer break, Ansaldo and Toscano had submitted a document to the Court of First Instance number 51 of Madrid to withdraw the precautionary measures requested against their expulsion from the party. Ansaldo also filed allegations on August 7 with the Secretariat of the Plenary, which were dismissed, thus continuing the administrative procedure.
With this development, the Madrid City Council will begin the new political term with three non-attached councilors: Ortega Smith, Ansaldo, and Toscano. Article 33 of the Organic Regulation of the Plenary (ROP) defines non-attached councilors as those who do not join the group formed by the party they represented in the elections or who subsequently leave their original group.
The Regulation further stipulates that if the majority of councilors from a municipal group leave or are expelled from the political formation that presented their candidacy, those remaining in the formation will be the legitimate members of that political group for all purposes. Consequently, the Vox Municipal Group is now composed solely of Arantxa Cabello and Fernando Martínez Vidal.
The conditions for non-attached councilors, previously established by Fanjul following Ortega Smith's situation, stipulate that each may present one initiative every two ordinary plenary sessions and another every four ordinary sessions of the committees they participate in. This is based on a proportionality criterion for the 57 members of the Corporation.
Currently, the four municipal groups (PP, Más Madrid, PSOE, and Vox) can jointly submit a maximum of 24 initiatives per Plenary session. Non-attached councilors can ask questions and make interpellations but cannot request appearances, a possibility reserved for political groups or one-fifth of the councilors.
The Spokespersons' Board will determine their speaking turns and times in debates, which cannot be less than one minute or exceed those assigned to a municipal group. Regarding committee participation, each non-attached councilor can submit one initiative every four ordinary committee sessions. Their votes in the Plenary will carry the same weight as those of other councilors.
Participation in committees as titular members will not allow for substitution due to absence, as they lack a municipal group. Weighted voting will be applied in committees with non-attached councilors to maintain the Plenary's representativeness, in accordance with the Madrid Community's Local Administration Law.
