“"A few months ago, while working as a teacher, I met a student over sixteen years old with whom, over time, a very special personal relationship developed. Before starting any romantic relationship, I made a very considered decision: to voluntarily resign from my job as a teacher before the start of the second semester. I did this because I understood it was the only way to act with coherence, responsibility, and respect towards all parties. Since the end of January, we have maintained a romantic relationship that has been public and known in our personal circle. It is, simply, a love story. However, I also acknowledge a mistake. Although this situation was known in my personal sphere, I did not bring it to the party's attention. I did not sufficiently consider that this circumstance could end up affecting its public image and cause harm to an organization that is far above any personal project. For this reason, fully assuming my responsibility and in accordance with the decision adopted by the Governing Committee, I submit my resignation from the Figueres candidacy and from all the organic positions I held within Aliança Catalana."
Aliança Catalana Expels Figueres Candidate Over Relationship with Minor
The party withdraws confidence in Arnau Liesa after learning of a previously undisclosed personal situation.
By Marta Puig i Vidal
••2 min read
IA
Generic image of a podium with a microphone.
Aliança Catalana has withdrawn confidence in its candidate for mayor of Figueres, Arnau Liesa, and initiated disciplinary proceedings for his expulsion.
The leadership of Aliança Catalana has decided to expel Arnau Liesa, the candidate for mayor of Figueres, after becoming aware of a personal situation they deem "incompatible" with the party's founding principles and which had not been previously disclosed. The party has launched an internal disciplinary procedure with the aim of expulsion.
According to a statement, once Liesa was notified of the decision, he chose to voluntarily disassociate himself from the party. Although the party has not detailed the personal situation, Liesa himself explained via a statement on the social network X that he is in a romantic relationship with a former student under the age of eighteen, with whom he began a relationship after leaving his teaching job at the end of January.
This incident adds to the municipal challenges that Sílvia Orriols' party has faced recently, including difficulties in finding candidates in various towns and the inclusion of former Spanish nationalist militants in their lists.
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