One more year, the LGTBIQ+ flag will not fly on the façade of the Cibeles Palace. This has been confirmed by the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, in response to a formal request sent by Más Madrid, which urged him to reconsider his position on June 28, International LGTBIQ+ Pride Day.
The letter, signed by the spokesperson for the municipal group, Rita Maestre, reminded the councilor that there are rulings from the Supreme Court that allow the placement of the flag in public buildings, as long as it is done in an institutional context, and without being associated with partisan purposes. “It is neither a symbol of confrontation, nor does it respond to the interests of a party,” the letter defended.
From the PSOE and Más Madrid, the reading is clear: it is not a legal obstacle, but a political decision. Eduardo Rubiño, deputy spokesperson for the progressive party, has gone further. “Refusing to put up the rainbow flag again means giving in, once again, to pressure from the extreme right. It is not a question of laws. It is pure ideological sectarianism,” he assured.
The mayor’s argument: “Pride has never been so alive”
Faced with these criticisms, Almeida has reiterated his refusal. There will be no flag. But, according to his version, that does not imply a lack of institutional commitment. The mayor assures that under his mandate Pride “has not only been maintained, but has grown.” And he wanted to remember that it was during Popular Party governments when Pride was institutionalized in the city. “It started with José María Álvarez, it was strengthened with Gallardón, and Ana Botella brought World Pride,” he stated, claiming that the current celebration is stronger than ever.
In addition, Almeida has criticized the opposition’s strategy for focusing the debate on symbols. “They do it because they don’t want to recognize that Pride is still going strong. It doesn’t help the people of Madrid or the demands for equality,” he said.
Empty symbols or gestures required?
But does it really matter if the flag flies or not? For many, no. The presence of the rainbow on institutional facades is not only decorative: it is a gesture of visibility, a public recognition that sends a message of inclusion and respect. In a society where attacks due to sexual orientation, identity or gender expression still exist, symbology gains political strength. Not out of partisanship, but out of necessity.
From another perspective, it could be argued that Pride goes beyond flags and facades, and that what is important is the real protection of rights. But is it possible to advance in the material without also taking care of the symbolic? Can a municipal government declare itself an ally if it does not recognize with gestures what millions of people demand year after year?
A debate that repeats itself… until when?
The absence of the LGTBIQ+ flag in Cibeles is almost a tradition since Almeida took office in 2019. Every year the same debate, the same requests, the same refusals are repeated. What is at stake is not just a piece of cloth, but what it represents: who decides which lives deserve institutional visibility? Who sets the limits on what can or cannot be celebrated from a public balcony?
Maybe the debate is not about the flag. Maybe it is in the place where you decide not to put it.
