Editorial: Election time

THE local elections are more than six months away but local newspapers are full of reports of political intrigue, opinion polls and announcements on possible candidates.   The biggest uncertainty at the moment is who will be standing for election for the Partido Popular as Mayor of Palma. Present Mayor, Mateo Isern, appears to have fallen out with some elements in his own party and he has not decided whether to stand or not. The Partido Popular are already said to have an alternative candidate who has the backing of Balearic President Jose Ramon Bauza (allegedly). Why the Partido Popular wants to ditch a popular candidate such as Isern, escapes me. At one time it was rumoured that Isern could run for the Balearic President’s job. The Calvia branch of the Partido Popular has already selected their candidate for Mayor because Manu Onieva is not standing for reelection. There is also much intrigue with opinion polls suggesting that the Partido Popular could do badly in the local elections, even in key municipalities such as Calvia and Palma. The Partido Popular could even be forced into opposition in the Balearic parliamentary elections and there is plenty of speculation over possible coalitions. The non-Spanish European vote could prove vital in some areas such as Calvia, especially if the small protest parties such as Podemos continue to gain in popularity.  It is going to be an exciting race and it is already underway.