Will Ayuso resign? The debate over her role in Spain's wildfires

Ayuso and the wildfires: the story nobody wants to add up

Environmental laws have become the scapegoat for a forest management problem that has been brewing for decades. The Natura 2000 network – that regulatory framework protecting habitats and birds – is blamed for blocking basic woodland clearing work: firebreaks, removal of dead undergrowth, controlled burning. Farmers and livestock herders, who once acted without permits, now face a bureaucratic labyrinth. The paradox is that, as restrictions multiply, vegetal fuel accumulates and burns with greater virulence.

The political focus, however, has shifted to the Madrid regional premier, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The recurring question is whether she should resign after the recent wildfires. Her defenders argue that environmental regulation is a matter for the central state; her critics say she has prioritised rhetoric over management. But there is an uncomfortable fact: in Spain almost no politician resigns. The culture of "nothing happens" cuts across party lines, and Ayuso – like the rest – knows it.

The Natura 2000 trap
The underlying problem is economic: inaction forced by bureaucracy has a cost in lives, homes and property. Small villages have no machinery or staff; forestry companies are drowning in impact assessments. Meanwhile, the woodland turns into tinder. The solution does not lie in resignations, but in overhauling a regulatory framework that penalises prevention. But, of course, that does not sell headlines.

Does anyone resign in Spain?
The rhetorical question running through every debate is the same: in this country, nobody ever resigns. It makes no difference whether the wildfire is devastating or the management has been erratic. The shield of "the narrative" – be it climate change, Franco or the opposition – always works. Ayuso, with her direct style, knows that as long as she keeps winning the media battle, her seat is safe. The ironies of a democracy where accountability is optional.