Palma mayor facing holiday rentals lawsuit

Gomila cited a potential offence of "prevarication" by Noguera in having prohibited the marketing of apartment holiday rentals. For Gomila, Noguera is symptomatic of capital cities in Spain where problems with holiday rentals are the consequence of "populists heading town halls".

The charge against Noguera, Gomila believes, has weight because of statements Noguera had made before he became mayor. Rather than the "demagogic arguments" made by the mayor, Gomila argues that there should be proper regulation of holiday rentals and so therefore not prohibition.

The association hopes that now the court has accepted the lawsuit, there will be clarification of "illicit conduct, such as the preparation of totally arbitrary urban planning reports that are not based on reality but with the sole purpose of resulting in a pre-conceived plan for stopping holiday rentals in the Balearic capital".

Noguera believes that "ideological motivation and political persecution" are behind his being placed under investigation. The Partido Popular, Ciudadanos and Vox have all suggested that he should resign.