Santa Cruz Electoral Board Orders Cabildo to Remove Animal Welfare Ads Over Neutrality Breach

The Provincial Electoral Board of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has ordered the Island Council (Cabildo) to remove digital advertisements regarding animal shelter subsidies. The decision follows a complaint from the PSOE, which argued that the posts violated the neutrality required of public institutions during an election period.

The dispute centers on a 700,000-euro funding package for 21 animal welfare organizations, which was announced on October 8 at an event featuring Cabildo vice president Lope Afonso and department head Valentín González. Following the PSOE’s complaint, the Electoral Board has directed the Cabildo to delete these posts from Instagram and all other official digital platforms.

The Cabildo has 24 hours from the time of notification to confirm the removal of the content and provide a list of any other related posts that have been taken down.

This ruling highlights the strict rules governing public communication during elections. Under Article 50.2 of the Organic Law of the General Electoral Regime (LOREG), public authorities are prohibited from running campaigns that highlight government achievements or use language and imagery similar to political party campaigns.

The PSOE acknowledged that while supporting animal welfare is important, official channels should not be used to boost the governing party's image. They have called on the Cabildo’s officials to ensure that public resources remain neutral. The Electoral Board reiterated that, throughout the election period, the institution must avoid any actions that could be seen as promoting its own management successes.