02/12/2008 00:00
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STAFF REPORTER

PALMA
THE Mayor of the Majorcan town of Selva, Joan Rotger, was yesterday voted in as the new leader of the Opposition Partido Popular (PP) on Majorca by no more than 17 votes over the second candidate, Manacor town councillor Antoni Pastor.

Rotger gained 42.1 percent of the vote, Pastor 33.8 percent whilst 17.9 percent was secured by the ex Mayor of Capdepera, Joan Ferrer. The narrow margins of vote totals made a recount necessary, which resulted in the final announcement, made yesterday at the 10th Partido Popular congress being held in Palma, later than expected.

The election of the Majorcan PP president is carried out by party members as opposed to the public at large so it was 846 people who were committed to casting their vote at the annual congress. Before knowing what the outcome of the election was, the three candidates made individual speeches, which in spite of their differences, signalled that they wanted the Partido Popular to emerge as a stronger group, lending its support to Lluc Tomas who has been sentenced by a regional court for misappropriation of public funds.