Overview
- The patronato met on Monday and approved a formal 'refundación' that replaces a single director model with a collegiate scientific leadership and a Commission Permanente to run daily operations.
- Luis Paz-Ares, Óscar Llorca and Fátima Al-Shahrour were named to lead the interim scientific board and will work with the current manager as the Commission Permanente executes the centre’s scientific plan.
- Raúl Rabadán renounced the director post last week before taking office, telling the Ministry of Science he stepped down because of politicization, polarization and media noise, which prompted the urgent patronato session.
- The patronato also agreed to draft new statutes to tighten governance, accountability and oversight, with those rules aimed to take effect in the first quarter of 2027 and end the transitional commission.
- The crisis follows 18 months of management complaints, alleged workplace harassment, budget shortfalls and the withdrawal of private funders, and staff and unions say the centre still faces reputational harm and operational paralysis.