PSOE Oviedo faces urban renaturalisation dispute and tight primary contest

The Socialist Party group in Oviedo denounced what it called an abandonment of the city's urban renaturalisation pact approved in October 2023. Spokesperson Carlos Fernández Llaneza accused the municipal government of prioritising concrete over greenery, citing specific projects such as the Plaza de La Faba, Longoria Carbajal, the Parque del Oeste stair renovation, the La Florida exposition and the new square beside the Sports Palace, which he said resulted in “less trees, less vegetation and more cement.”

At the same time, the PSOE's internal primary for the mayoral candidacy in Oviedo is poised to be highly competitive. Three candidates – Sergio Llera, Enrique Rodríguez Nuño and Almudena Cueto – all cleared the minimum threshold of 98 supporting signatures, with Llera leading by a narrow margin of ten signatures over Cueto. The close tally points to a fragmented party membership and guarantees a contested primary vote this Sunday.

Both developments highlight internal tensions within the PSOE in Oviedo, reflecting divergent priorities on urban policy and party leadership ahead of upcoming municipal elections.