Málaga Mayor Seeks 8th Term as 26-Year Revival Fuels Overtourism Backlash

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 10

Francisco de la Torre, 83, is preparing to run next year for an eighth straight term after 26 years leading Málaga, turning the southern Spanish port into a tech-and-culture hub.
That transformation won him visible public gratitude but also sharpened criticism that his success helped drive overtourism, soaring housing costs and the erosion of the city’s local character.
Málaga’s makeover includes attracting foreign residents and investment, with landmarks such as Google’s 27,000-square-foot cybersecurity hub symbolizing the city’s new international profile.
The coming race is set to test whether voters in Spain’s sixth-most-populous city still prize de la Torre’s regeneration record over growing unease about affordability and identity.