Nearly every billboard and available poster space in Ibiza is occupied by the smiling faces of politicians touting for votes on election day on 22nd May or 22M as it's being called in the local press. Candidates from a myriad of political parties are wanting positions at all levels of government – town hall, island council and regional – across the Balearic Islands.
Lucky Ibicencos will benefit from more; new roads, parking, social accommodation, mobile medical facilities, bike lanes, swimming pools, planning, and heaps of other good things according to the pre-election promises of the would be politicians hoping to be elected.
This time round, there will be more places in government up for grabs – a situation which reflects the population growth in certain municipalities of the island. The number of councillors will increase from 17 to 21 in San Antonio and San Jose, and 11 to 13 in the smaller San Juan town hall.
One telling statistic of the elections is the number of foreign citizens of the Balearic Islands who have the right to vote by returning a from sent by post to them, with only 16% of the 139,000 eligible foreigners actually doing this.
Stay tuned for a brief report next week on who won what.
