Coalition crisis over Sunday trading

The coalition government is facing a new internal crisis, this time over the proposed new Balearic shopping laws. The Majorca Unionist party, led by the all-powerful President of the Insular Council of Majorca, Maria Antonia Munar, has informed the local government that it will not support the new shopping law motion unless it is modified before it is approved. The main bone of contention for the Majorca Unionists is the government's proposed reduction of Sunday opening, limiting the number of Sundays on which shops can open to just two. At the moment trading is allowed on 12 Sundays per year. As far as the UM is concerned, two Sundays a year is by no means sufficient to meet the needs of the public. The UM's Miguel Nadal said yesterday that he has told the Balearic Minister for Commerce, deputy Chief Minister Pere Sampol, that “he has to take into account the point of view of consumers and try to work towards making the commercial sector more competitive and Sunday opening increases revenue, the consumer should not be made to suffer.” This morning the government was hoping to run over the new Balearic commercial motion one final time, but the UM wants to see modifications being discussed today, otherwise it will not support the motion, which means that the Balearic government will be unable to win sufficient support in parliament to approve the new law.