The period of municipal government in Figueres between 2003 and 2007 was a stage of major debates and decisions that led to significant political wear and tear. One of the most ambitious and controversial projects was the reform of the Nova Estació Avenue, conceived as the main western entrance to the city and the axis of a "new centrality" following the confirmation of the TGV station in Vilafant. The then-mayor, Joan Armangué, promoted this initiative, despite being aware of the reluctance it could generate due to the expropriations and purchases of properties and homes involved.

The slow arrival of high-speed rail to Figueres, with delays attributed to the Zapatero government (PSOE) and unfulfilled forecasts from the previous Minister of Public Works, Álvarez Cascos (PP), did not help calm tempers. The complexity of the project, which included a tunnel under the castle, was a determining factor in Armangué's loss of the mayoralty. Despite this, the TGV station is considered a short-term success, despite concerns about the continuity of the current railway line due to the passage of dangerous goods, an aspect not considered in the initial debate.

In the political sphere, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) surpassed Convergència i Unió (CiU) in councilors in Figueres for the first time. This situation led to a change in CiU's leadership, with Santi Vila, former president of ERC's local section, replacing Antoni Calvó as spokesperson at the end of 2005. Vila, who would later become mayor in 2007, distanced himself from the Nova Estació Avenue project, calling it an "error to have prioritized the reform of the Marca de l’Ham over the historic center."

Another open front was waste management. In early 2004, the city council's works council warned about the doubling of cleaning costs since the creation of the mixed company Figueres Ecoserveis. Workers announced a strike for garbage collection, gardening, and street lighting maintenance between April 28 and May 11, coinciding with the Fires period and the centenary of Salvador Dalí's birth. The strike was called off, but it generated significant personal strain for the mayor.

The tense labor environment also manifested itself in a controversy with the municipal government over the non-compliance with the agreement signed in August 2000. Workers demanded payment of the IPC revision supplement, which the city council wanted to pay as a productivity supplement, with a 100-day delay. This situation culminated in a symbolic protest in April 2006, where workers wore red socks in support of the city council secretary, Fernando González, who had had problems with the police and justice.