Madrid Presidentโ Ayuso Creates Rift โWithin โคPP With Pro-Israel Stance on Gaza
Madrid, September 2025 – A โdeepening internal divide within Spain’s People’s Party โ(PP) has surfacedโข overโข the conflict in Gaza, with Isabelโค Dรญaz Ayuso, President of the community of Madrid, publicly diverging fromโข the more measured approach adopted by PP โleader Alberto Nรบรฑez Feijรณo. โฃAyuso’s actions are โคcreating tension within the โparty as sheโ activelyโ signals support for Israel while Feijรณo has voicedโ criticism of the “civilianโฃ massacre” occurring there.
The disagreementโ highlights a broaderโ pattern of Ayuso staking out โคself-reliant positions, โขoften positioningโค herself โas a counterpointโ toโค Prime Minister Pedroโ Sรกnchez, and โคreinforcing her internal leadership ambitions. This latest clash underscores theโข delicate balance of power withinโ the PP, where Ayuso’s popularity and distinct political style are โขboth an asset and a potential sourceโข of disruption. The โrift could impact โขthe party’sโฃ messagingโค andโฃ unity as itโ navigates a sensitive international issue.
Ayuso has taken concrete steps demonstrating her โalignment with Israel.She โhasโข banned Palestinian flags andโข any symbols supporting Gazaโ from public and subsidized schools in โขtheโ Madridโข region. Furthermore,she announced plans toโค publicly honor Jonasโข Vingegaard,winner of the Cycling Tour,and present a gold medal to race โฃorganizers,despite ongoing protests related to the event’s sponsors.
This isn’t โขan isolated incident. Sources within the PP note Ayuso has a history of entering debates Feijรณo prefers to avoid, actively establishing herself as an opposition figure to Sรกnchez.Some party leaders believeโฃ thisโ strategy is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from her regional governance โคin Madrid, thoughโ they acknowledge it hasn’t diminished her โฃsupport base.
Her populist style,reminiscent of formerโค Prime Minister Josรฉ Marรญa Aznar,isโ increasingly contrasted with Feijรณo’s “sensible and responsible” approach,according to โฃseveral PP “barons” – influential โฃregional โคleaders. The diverging strategies raise questions about the party’s future direction โคand the potential for further internalโ friction.