World

Sílvia Orriols refuses to give up security portfolio after daughter’s police appointment

Herz — World Desk · 29 July 2026 at 12:01 · 30s summary · 2 min read

The essentials

Ripoll Mayor Sílvia Orriols has refused to hand the municipal security portfolio to another councillor after her eldest daughter, Guinadell Orriols, was appointed as an interim local police officer through an emergency procedure. Junts per Catalunya says the situation may create a conflict of interest, El País reports. The mayor denies any incompatibility and says she merely approved a list prepared by technical staff. Municipal secretary Gerard Soldevila maintains that the process was lawful. Accounts differ, however, over the mayor’s exact role in preparing the selection procedure.

The mayor’s daughter was appointed as an interim local police officer.
Junts wants Sílvia Orriols to hand security to another councillor.
The mayor denies any incompatibility or discretionary appointment.
Accounts differ over the mayor’s role in the selection process.
The municipal secretary says the procedure was lawful.

What we know

On July 28, 2026, Junts per Catalunya, a Catalan pro-independence party founded in 2020, asked Sílvia Orriols to hand the municipal security portfolio to another councillor. The mayor of Ripoll refused, according to El País.

The request followed the appointment of her eldest daughter, Guinadell Orriols, as an interim local police officer through an emergency procedure.

Sílvia Orriols also leads Aliança Catalana, a far-right Catalan pro-independence party founded in Ripoll in 2020. As mayor, she holds the municipal security portfolio, which includes oversight of the local police.

Junts says the situation may create a conflict of interest and wants the portfolio assigned to another elected official.

The mayor’s position

Sílvia Orriols says her daughter secured the role through a selection procedure rather than a discretionary appointment. She denies that there is any incompatibility.

The mayor says she deals only with the police’s operational chief. She also says she delegated the signing of the appointment to another councillor.

A procedure justified by urgency

The appointment decree cites “maximum urgency” and an “imperative need” to ensure safety in the municipality.

Municipal secretary Gerard Soldevila says the procedure was lawful and could even have been simplified because of the stated urgency.

The law requires public officials to abstain from procedures involving members of their family.

Recruitment timeline

January 8, 2026
The municipality approves the rules for a competitive process to fill one permanent civil-service post in the local police.
June 11, 2026
The municipality launches the competition and also activates the accelerated procedure won by Guinadell Orriols.
July 18, 2026
Guinadell Orriols is appointed by decree as an interim officer.
July 22, 2026
The list of applicants who passed the competition’s initial stage is published.