A former councilor of the Spanish city of Móstoles has filed an official complaint in court against Mayor Manuel Bautista of the People's Party. The charges include sexual harassment, bullying, and four other corporate and personal offenses. The case gained momentum after months of the woman's unsuccessful appeals to party authorities for an internal investigation, forcing her to take legal action against the city's mayor and party structures.

Six Criminal Charges

Mayor Manuel Bautista faces charges including sexual harassment, bullying, and disclosure of state or official secrets.

Unsuccessful Party Route

The victim spent several months asking the People's Party to intervene, which proved ineffective before the case was referred to criminal court.

Political Pressure for Resignation

Left-wing parties and the coalition partner Vox are demanding the mayor's resignation in light of serious prosecutorial charges.

A former councilor of Móstoles, a Madrid suburb with over 200,000 inhabitants, filed a comprehensive querella on Monday, February 16, 2026, against the incumbent mayor, Manuel Bautista. The documentation was submitted to the criminal section of the court of first instance and includes allegations of sexual harassment, workplace bullying (mobbing), violation of moral integrity, extortion, and disclosure of secrets. The woman's lawyer, Antonio Suárez-Valdés, emphasizes that the complaint is based on extensive evidence intended to confirm months of abuse, which allegedly began as early as 2023. The political situation surrounding the mayor is becoming increasingly difficult, as the left-wing opposition demands immediate resignations, and coalition partners from the Vox party call on Bautista to "take a step back." For many months, the victim attempted to resolve the matter within the structures of the People's Party (PP), but the lack of response from the regional leadership of the party led to an escalation of the conflict. In response to the allegations, Manuel Bautista launched a media offensive, attacking the socialist opposition and bringing up old administrative scandals, which observers see as a strategy to divert attention from the moral charges against him. The People's Party (PP) is the main center-right party in Spain, which has repeatedly faced image crises related to the ethical standards of its local leaders in the Madrid region.The court must now decide whether to admit the complaint for processing and potentially summon the mayor to provide explanations as a suspect. The plaintiff's lawyer notes that the complaint also includes the People's Party itself as an institution that was aware of the incidents but failed to take appropriate protective measures for its representative. This case is becoming one of the most serious tests for new standards in combating harassment in Spanish public administration. „The querella is based on solid evidence that will demonstrate the existence of sexual demands made by the mayor against my client.” — Antonio Suárez-Valdés

Mentioned People

  • Manuel Bautista — Mayor of Móstoles from the People's Party, the main defendant in the sexual harassment and bullying case.
  • Antonio Suárez-Valdés — Lawyer representing the former councilor, specializing in harassment and molestation cases.