No clear winner at next elections, says survey

A period of more political infighting and a coalition Balearic government was forecast yesterday as a survey on voting intentions at the next local elections in June revealed that no party would win an overall majority. The survey for the prestigious Centre for Social Services claimed that the right wing Partido Popular, now in opposition, would gain the lion's share of the vote, about 44 percent, but not enough to allow them to rule on their own. This would mean that they would have to turn to some of the smaller parties, who govern in coalition at the moment, to gain a majority. The Partido Popular were pipped at the post three years ago when they failed to win outright by a few thousand votes and were forced into opposition. The other five parties, socialists, communists, nationalists and greens formed a coalition and have ruled the Balearics ever since. Balearic leader Francesc Antich's Spanish Socialist Party would poll 22.7 percent of the vote, up from just 22 percent at the last elections. The far-left/communist United Left would gain about 6.2 percent compared to 5.4 percent and the Majorcan Nationalist Socialist Party would have a share of about 11.8 percent, up from 11.6. Meanwhile the Majorcan Unionists, who govern in the Council of Majorca, through their President Maria Antonia Munar would see their seven percent share stay the same. Judging by the results the report suggests that the coalition five party government could be returned to power. None of the other five parties appear likely, apart from the Majorcan Unionists, of pacting with the Partido Popular. Munar snubbed the conservatives at the last elections electing to form part of the coalition. The report will make bad reading for the Partido Popular and also shows that the islands are still seriously divided, politically speaking. It appears more than likely that the present Minister for the Environment in Madrid Jaume Matas and former Balearic leader will stand as their candidate. There is expected to be no change in the socialist ranks with Francesc Antich standing again.