The schedule of Rita Maestre (Madrid, 1988), very full, forces the interview to be scheduled early. Without time, almost, to clear a voice that is beginning to notice the burden of pre-campaign events, the municipal leader of More Madrid breaks down the keys to a project with which she intends to make a "comprehensive transformation" of a city that governed under the baton of Manuela Carmena, from whose mayorship she was displaced in 2019 by the pact of the three right-wing parties, despite winning the elections by more than 100,000 votes with the PP.
The left lasted 4 years in Cibeles. Is Madrid right-wing?
Madrid is a very open, very modern, very progressive city. And, without a doubt, it is a city that the left can recover with a great mobilization.
What city do you want?
I wouldn't get there the first time. I know the City Council from the government and from the opposition when, in 2019, I took over a discouraged municipal force. And I offer excitement and knowledge of everything that can be done.
What does Carmena's support mean?
I am very grateful for the very explicit support for me to be the next mayoress. It is a reference of an effective and empathetic mayor, unlike these last four years of lack of government with a lazy mayor. I want to collect that testimony and take it much further.
Why did he barely forge the grand pact after the pandemic?
It lasted as long as it took Almeida to pursue his ambition. He took the enormous political capital that we all generously put on the table – Cs, Vox, Més Madrid and PSOE–, and tried to turn it into public capital for himself.
What is your city model?
Our bet is that, eight years from now, all the residents of Madrid will have basic basic services less than 15 minutes' walk away and that the city can be traveled from end to end by public transport in 45 minutes.
What is the most pressing challenge?
The housing 54,000 inhabitants have been lost in two years, which slows down other vital projects. Madrid does not retain talent and expels people. It needs to be reactivated.
In the absence of building more public housing, limiting prices is a solution?
Of course. It is difficult, but it will be necessary to fight with the Community to declare the whole city as a tense zone.
Given the polls, wouldn't it have been more profitable for the left to join a coalition?
The tie with the right was thanks to the fact that we were focused on talking about Madrid. What keeps people away from politics are party fights and seat sharing.
Why was it added to Yolanda Díaz's project?
With my presence I supported the candidacy of a person who does precisely what I am saying needs to be done, which is to put ideas, projects and public policies at the forefront and talk about the important things.
