- City council of San Sebastián
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Coordinates: 43°19′18″N 1°59′09″W / 43.32159°N 1.98578°W
The City Hall, former casino built in 1887, viewed from Alderdi Eder.
The City council of San Sebastián (Basque: Donostiako Udala, Spanish: Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián) is the institution that governs the Basque city of San Sebastián (Spain). Its premises are located in the former casino of the city next to the Bay of La Concha[1].
Building
The building was built in 1887 in the Gardens of Alderdi-Eder of San Sebastián. At the opening ceremony attended for the first time the Queen Maria Christina of Austria. It is next to Nautical Royal Club of San Sebastián. Closed as casino because the prohibition of gambling in 1924.
On April 14 of 1928 an agreement was reached to open in this building the Center of Attraction and Tourism. Later this being moved to a building next to the Hotel María Cristina.
On 20 January of 1945 the council was moved to this building. The architects Alday and Arizmendi amended the initial project in 1943 and transformed the former casino in council. Until then, the City Hall was located in the Constitution Square (Parte Vieja), now headquarters of the Municipal Library.[2]
City administration
After the democratic restoration in 1977 and after a brief period in which a municipal manager, led first by Ramón Jáuregui and subsequently by Iñaki Alkiza, was in charge of the city government, held its first democratic elections in 1979. Although lacking of absolute majority, Jesús María Alkain, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), as the candidate most voted for Mayor agreed. [3][4]
In the next legislature succeeded to his fellow mayor Ramón Labayen, also without absolute majority. However, the division of Eusko Alkartasuna, who became the most militant of the PNV in San Sebastián, made at the next election (1987) EA's candidate was the most voted. Formed a minority coalition government with Euskadiko Ezkerra, which allowed it to remain as mayor during the term 1987-1991.
In 1991, Odón Elorza (PSE-EE/PSOE) became mayor, with the support of PP and PNV. With various covenants (with PNV and EA in 1995, with PP in 1999) has remained at the head of the council since then, and since 1999 with majority of votes and seats. After the 2007 elections, form government with the municipal group Aralar-Alternatiba (formerly Aralar-Ezker Batua).[5]
These are the mayors who have governed the city council since the 1979 election:
Mayor Start of term End of term Party Jesús María Alkain 1979 1983 EAJ-PNV Ramón Labayen 1983 1987 EAJ-PNV Xabier Albistur 1987 1991 Eusko Alkartasuna Odón Elorza 1991 continues PSE (1991-1993)
PSE-EE (1993-today)- Composition of the city council of San Sebastián since the 1979 elections
Name Legislature 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–1999 1999–2003 2003–2007 2007-2011 EAJ-PNV (EAJ-PNV) 9 10 3 4 3 7 9 5 Herri Batasuna (HB) / Euskal Herritarrok (EH) 6 5 6 5 4 5 ~ ~ People's Party (PP) /
Coalición Popular / Coordinadora Independiente5 3 2 5 7 6 7 6 Socialist Party of the Basque Country – Euskadiko Ezkerra (PSE-EE) /
Socialist Party of the Basque Country-PSOE (PSE-PSOE)4 7 5 5 7 9 10 11 Euskadiko Ezkerra (EE) 3 2 4 2 ~ ~ ~ ~ Eusko Alkartasuna (EA) ~ ~ 7 6 5 (coalition
with PNV)(coalition
with PNV)2 Ezker Batua-Berdeak (EBB) /
Communist Party of Euskadi (EPK-PCE)0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 Aralar ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 (coalition
with EBB)- Current distribution of the city council
Political parties in the City council of Donostia-San Sebastián
Name Councillors Socialist Party of the Basque Country-Euskadiko Ezkerra (PSE-EE) 11 People's Party of the Basque Country (PP) 6 EAJ-PNV (EAJ-PNV) 5 Alternatiba (formerly Ezker Batua) 2 Aralar 1 Eusko Alkartasuna (EA) 1 Hamaikabat (H1!) (formerly Eusko Alkartasuna) 1 References
- ^ San Sebastian's city-council's website
- ^ Deia: ¡Hagan juego en la memoria de Donostia!
- ^ Formed the city council of San Sebastián, with mayor of PNV, ABC, January 21 of 1979.
- ^ Jesús María Alkain is proclaimed mayor, El Diario Vasco, April 21 of 2009.
- ^ Alternatiba snubs to EB and confirms his covenant of government with Elorza, El País, July 22 of 2009.
Categories:- San Sebastián
- Buildings and structures completed in 1887
- Seats of local government
- Government buildings in Spain
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