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Palma.—At a party political meeting yesterday, acting Balearic President Francesc Antich said that until politics returns to its social democratic roots, there is little point in his remaining leader of the Balearic Socialist Party. “Politics dictated from Europe,” he said in an address to the assembly, “have affected the lives of ordinary people. Why vote,” he continued “if it is the markets which dictate policy?” Antich said, however, that following the Socialist drubbing in the local elections, he would be taking part in the traditional Parliamentary debate which precedes the investiture of a new leader, on this occasion Partido Popular President, Jose Ramon Bauza.

Antich has set his sights on playing a greater part in national politics and is due to be elected later this month for another term as a Balearic Socialist representative in the Senate - he held the post during the term of office of ex regional President Jaume Matas, from 2003 to 2007.

Antich said that although this will mean he is going to have to spend some days in Madrid each week, he'll now have more time to work for the party.
The acting President said that he had also been invited at yesterday's meeting to be a Balearic MP in Congress in Madrid but he rejected the offer and said he would leave regional politics sooner rather than later. He said that he preferred to follow regional political developments from a distance.

Meanwhile, it was made known yesterday that Francina Armengol, the acting leader of the Council of Majorca, will be the future Socialist spokesman in the Balearic Parliament but she has made no comment on whether she is prepared to take the reins of power of the regional party.