Mariano Ruiz Araujo, PSOE candidate for mayor of Málaga, Spain

Mariano Ruiz Araujo, the socialist challenging De la Torre in 2027

The PSOE in Málaga has decided to take a chance on a candidate who did not come out of a party backroom: Mariano Ruiz Araujo, the socialists' spokesperson, born in the city in 1985, will stand in the primaries to run for Mayor in 2027. The announcement comes as Francisco de la Torre has spent more than two decades at the head of the city council, and the party is looking for a fresh face to energise an electorate tired of continuity.

The interview in La Opinión de Málaga leaves two readings: some see him as a breath of fresh air, while others point out that his political career began in the party's youth wing. Reactions were not long in coming: some lament that he is a party machine politician, others applaud the fact that he does not fit the stereotype of the manager used to the office backrooms. Some even wonder whether he has ever worked outside politics.

The shadow of Josele Aguilar, who is also mentioned as a possible contender, looms over a process that could become deadlocked. The primaries are expected to be tense, and the party goes into them without a clear lead over the PP, which has governed Málaga for two decades.

If the internal contest drags on, the PSOE risks its credibility in 2027. For now, Ruiz Araujo is selling a message of concrete solutions; the problem is that the people of Málaga have heard it before. It is possible that this time will be different, but that will depend on how much damage is done in the primaries.