Lorraine Williamson
The ruling Partido Popular (PP) and far-right Vox coalition in Toledo is under fire after unveiling a provincial logo that turned out to be anything but original. The new emblem—touted as a bold symbol of modernity—was purchased for nearly €15,000 despite being freely available online.
The design, featuring a double “T”, was presented by council president Concepción Cedillo late last year as a visual statement of renewal. Cedillo claimed the intertwined letters reflected Toledo’s hisToria (history), paTrimonio (heritage), and Tejido social (social fabric). Yet within days of the launch, journalists uncovered that the sleek motif had been published a decade earlier by US designer Mike Serafin on creative platforms such as Dribbble, Behance, and Kreafolk—where it can be downloaded at no cost.
Taxpayer money for a free design
Despite its open-source origins, the provincial council authorised a payment of €14,999 to an external agency for the “new” logo. Spanish outlet ElPlural further revealed that the government is considering another contract of similar value to adapt the image for official stationery, signage, and digital use.
The revelation has triggered outrage across Toledo and beyond. Opposition parties are demanding to know why the council failed to check the logo’s provenance before spending public funds. Questions are also mounting over the lack of a public tender and the opaque process that led to the agency’s selection.
Calls for accountability
The Socialist PSOE party has demanded the immediate release of the contract and all related documents, including the names of those who approved the commission. Critics say the affair exposes a deeper problem of weak oversight within the provincial administration.
The optics are damaging for PP and Vox, parties that campaign on promises of fiscal discipline. The scandal undermines their claims of responsible governance and puts pressure on Cedillo to explain how such an elementary error escaped scrutiny.
Trust in local government at stake
Beyond the embarrassment of a copied design, the controversy highlights the fragility of public trust. Residents are questioning how a provincial council could pay thousands for an image that anyone with an internet connection could have downloaded for free.
The PP-Vox coalition now faces a critical test: to provide full transparency, review procurement practices, and prove that public money is being handled with the care it promises. Failure to do so could deepen voter scepticism ahead of future elections.
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