LESSONS for the Partido Popular. Don't attempt to blow your rival out of the water and then ask them to form a coalition government. It looks more than likely that a coalition of left-wing parties and the centre Majorcan Unionists will govern the key institutions of the Balearics.
Palma, Andratx and Pollensa have already fallen to this coalition and I suspect that the Council of Majorca and Balearic government will follow suit. The socialists certainly didn't win the elections, I think the Partido Popular lost them. If they had moderated their attacks on the Unionists then perhaps they would be in the process of getting back to power with a party which has ruled with them on countless occasions. But no. And what makes it even more unreal is that all the opinion polls before the election stated that the Partido Popular would not win a majority in the local government elections. A pact was on the horizon long before polling day. It was obvious that the Majorcan Unionists would be key simply because they always have been. Nothing changed on election day except the Partido Popular didn't get a majority. The political situation is even more surreal when you take into account that Isidre Cañellas, leader of the Majorcan Unionists in Calvia, who was defeated by Mayor Carlos Delgado looks set to be promoted to Balearic Minister for the Environment. All-in-all a strange end to the campaign but not exactly a surprise.
As they say, a day is a long time in politics and I am sure that there is going to be even more twists yet but it is very unlikely that the Partido Popular will be able to make the Unionists an offer they can't afford not to accept. But who knows...
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