Leganés - WikiHQ

Leganés () is a municipality and a city in Spain, located within the Community of Madrid. It forms part of the Madrid metropolitan area and is situated 11 kilometers southwest of the capital. With a population of 194,084 inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous municipality in the Community of Madrid and the thirty-second largest in Spain, according to the list of Spanish municipalities by population.

Situated on a plain in the Inner Plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, Leganés is traversed by the Butarque stream, a tributary of the Manzanares River. It borders the Madrid districts of Carabanchel and Latina to the north, Alcorcón to the west, Getafe and the Madrid district of Villaverde to the east, and Fuenlabrada to the south.

Founded in 1280 as "Legamar" during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile, it later adopted its current name and was incorporated as a village into the jurisdiction of Madrid in 1345. In 1627, it became a village under noble jurisdiction when King Philip IV of Spain established the March of Leganés, a status it retained until feudal privileges were abolished in 1820.

During the mid-20th century, like other municipalities near Madrid, Leganés experienced significant population growth due to immigration from other Spanish regions, transforming it into a commuter town where most residents worked in the capital. Over time, Leganés developed its own robust array of public services, industries, and commercial enterprises, becoming a significant contributor to the Community of Madrid.

The city is home to historical landmarks such as the former Santa Isabel Psychiatric Hospital, opened in 1851 as one of Spain's first asylums; the Royal Walloon Guards Barracks, designed by Francesco Sabatini in the 18th century and now part of the Charles III University of Madrid; and ecclesiastical heritage, including the Polvoranca Hermitage and a Baroque altarpiece by José de Churriguera.

Additionally, historian Ángel Fernández de los Ríos posited that the names "Leganés" and "Leganitos" derive from the Arabic words algannet ('orchards') and alganit ('of the orchards'), respectively.

The official demonym for Leganés is "leganense." However, the colloquial term "pepinero" is also widely used among the population. This term originates from the period when Leganés was an agricultural village supplying vegetables to the capital, with cucumber being the most renowned produce, giving rise to the nickname for its inhabitants. This moniker persists despite the near disappearance of orchards in the city.

The modified version, which replaced the marquis's coronet with a royal crown, was approved on 8 May 1985. The blazon is as follows:

Flag

The flag of Leganés was designed by the town's official chronicler, Juan Antonio Alonso Resalt, at the request of Mayor Fernando Abad Bécquer. It was approved by the Royal Academy of History on 15 March 1985 and has been used since then. The flag features the town's coat of arms in the center, set against a sky blue background. Its design was inspired by the herald depicted in the painting Relief of the Plaza of Lérida in 1646 by Pieter Snayers, housed in the Prado Museum. This herald accompanied the Marquis of Leganés, serving as a reference for the flag's creation. The heraldic description is as follows:

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Demography

Leganés has a population of 194,084 inhabitants, making it the fourth most populous municipality in the Community of Madrid and the thirty-second largest in Spain, ahead of San Sebastián.

The city has experienced significant demographic growth tied to the economic development of Madrid. Until the 1950s, its population hovered around 5,000. Subsequently, the influx of immigrants from other provinces seeking work in the capital spurred the construction of affordable housing in surrounding municipalities, which offered fewer services than the city center. The first apartment blocks were built in the San Nicasio neighborhood, with residents primarily from Extremadura, Castile, and Andalusia. This led to a population surge from 7,655 in 1960 to over 56,000 in 1970, and exceeding 160,000 by 1980. As this growth outpaced projections, many districts lack sufficient parking spaces. Since the advent of democracy, growth has been moderate, with urban planning implemented in new neighborhoods and a focus on public infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

The foreign population has increased in recent years, reaching 118 foreigners per 1,000 residents, below the regional average. Spanish nationals account for 88.19% of the population, with other nationalities comprising the remaining 11.90%. The largest foreign communities are from Romania (4,104), Morocco (3,606), Colombia (3,047), Ecuador (2,727), and Peru (2,210).

Initially considered a commuter town, as many residents worked in Madrid, Leganés has reduced its reliance on the capital since the 1980s by developing industrial estates, commercial centers, educational institutions, clinics, and a general hospital. Leganés has been part of Spain's Law of Large Cities since 2006. Its population was 188,691 in 2014, according to the INE.

Economy

Until recently, Leganés was a well-connected commuter town in the Madrid metropolitan area. Its population has tripled in less than a decade, and residential developments around the historic center have multiplied. Concurrently, primary activities such as horticulture (supplying the capital) and livestock farming have declined in importance. In contrast, the establishment of various industries has increased due to improved transportation links and the scarcity and high cost of industrial land in the capital.

Industrial areas

The municipality has the following industrial parks:

Nuestra Señora de Butarque: located between the Zarzaquemada and El Carrascal neighborhoods and Getafe's El Bercial neighborhood.
El Portillo, commonly known as Ciudad del Automóvil, currently expanding southward along the M-409.
Polvoranca: home to the former Tabacalera warehouse, now Logista.
La Fortuna: a small, traditional industrial area within the urban core, with a new estate recently established near the M-40.
Prado Overa: situated along the A-42 Toledo Highway.
San José de Valderas: located adjacent to Alcorcón's urban core, though within Leganés's municipal boundaries.
La Laguna: centered around the M-50, hosting companies such as Porcelanosa and Verdecora.
Leganés Tecnológico: dedicated to high-tech companies, located near the M-40 in collaboration with the Charles III University.
Sur M-50: situated next to Fuenlabrada's El Naranjo neighborhood, though within Leganés's boundaries.

Major companies operating in the municipality include Logista, Roche Farma (pharmaceutical production), Tapón Corona (bottle cap manufacturing), Renault Industrial Vehicles (crankshaft production), Zardoya Otis (elevator and escalator manufacturing), Empresa Martín (interurban bus network), Ramos Sierra (electrical material distributors), Makro, Decathlon, and El Corte Inglés (retail).

Commerce

thumb|Plaza Nueva Commercial Park

The following shopping centers are located within Leganés:

Leganés Uno: the oldest, situated in the San Nicasio neighborhood.
Parquesur: located at the intersection of the M-45, A-42, and the Leganés-Villaverde road.
Arroyosur: situated between the M-409 and M-50.
Parque Comercial Plaza Nueva: opened in spring 2009, located at the base of the Cemetery Slope, near the M-425 and the Butarque Municipal Stadium.
Sambil Outlet Madrid: the most modern, inaugurated in 2017, located between the M-411 and M-40.

Additionally, there are standalone large retail stores such as Makro in the Nuestra Señora de Butarque estate, and nearby shopping centers in adjacent municipalities, including a Hipercor and El Corte Inglés in El Bercial (Getafe) and the CC Islazul in Carabanchel.

Administration and politics

Institutions

Leganés is governed by three levels of public administration, each with distinct responsibilities and jurisdictions. The Leganés City Council is the main authority in the city, overseeing daily municipal affairs and critical matters such as urban planning, transportation, municipal tax collection, traffic safety management through the local police, festival organization, and maintenance of public roads and gardens. It is also responsible for constructing municipal facilities.

The local government bodies include the City Council Plenary and its Committees, the Mayor, Deputy Mayors, and the Local Government Board. Plenary sessions, both ordinary and extraordinary, are held at the city hall located in Leganés's Plaza Mayor. The Casa del Reloj in Leganés houses the citizen services office. Additionally, there are District Boards for the neighborhoods of La Fortuna, San Nicasio, and Zarzaquemada. The municipality also provides legal advisory services, a social council, and a special commission for suggestions and complaints.

Above the City Council is the Community of Madrid, which manages responsibilities delegated by the central government. As Madrid is a single-province autonomous community, there is no provincial council. Leganés hosts the headquarters of the Madrid-South Territorial Area Directorate. The Community holds extensive powers in public education, healthcare, employment offices, social services, transportation, economic policies, commerce, and more. It is also tasked with building and maintaining health centers, hospitals, schools, universities, and senior residences.

The highest authority is the General State Administration, which handles matters such as security (National Police and Army), justice, and Renfe trains. These responsibilities are coordinated by the Government Delegation in the Community of Madrid. The three levels of administration collaborate to ensure the municipality’s development.

Municipal government

thumb|Leganés City Hall, where plenary sessions are held

The Leganés City Council government is elected through universal suffrage in elections held every four years. The D'Hondt method is used in Spain to allocate councilor seats, roughly proportional to the votes received by each candidacy. The plenary consists of 27 councilors.

In the 2019 Spanish local elections, the PSOE was the most voted party, securing 10 seats, four more than in the previous election and more than double the votes of the second-placed party. Unión por Leganés became the main opposition party, while the People's Party came third, 180 votes behind, both with four seats. Podemos and Citizens each obtained three councilors, Más Madrid-Leganemos secured two, and Vox entered the council with one seat.

Since the restoration of democracy in Spain, nine municipal elections have been held. The mayor since 2015 has been Santiago Llorente Gutiérrez of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

In the late 20th century, Leganés was known as a stronghold for left-wing parties in the Community of Madrid, forming part of the so-called "red belt" alongside other municipalities such as Getafe and Fuenlabrada. As a result, the city was governed by the PSOE for over three decades, either alone or in coalition with IU. From 2003 to 2011, the PP was the most voted party locally and regionally but never achieved an absolute majority.

The first elected mayor was Ramón Espinar Gallego (1979–1983), followed by Fernando Abad Bécquer (1983–1991) and José Luis Pérez Ráez (1991–2007). A lack of agreement between PSOE and IU allowed Guadalupe Bragado of the PP to become the first conservative mayor in 2007, but a motion of censure removed her after 23 days. She was succeeded by the socialist Rafael Gómez Montoya (2007–2011). As neither PSOE nor IU secured a majority, Jesús Gómez Ruiz became the first PP mayor to complete a full term. However, in the 2015 elections, the PSOE regained control, with Santiago Llorente Gutiérrez taking office.

{| class="wikitable"

! Period

! Mayor

! Party

| 1979-1983

| Ramón Espinar Gallego