Congress decides whether to amend the Constitution to allow Formentera to have its own senator.

FormenteraThe Spanish Congress of Deputies will decide this Tuesday whether to approve the initiation of proceedings for a constitutional reform that would grant Formentera its own senator and eliminate its current practice of sharing a constituency with Ibiza in Senate elections. The initiative originates from the Balearic Islands Parliament, which is once again bringing to Madrid a demand that the people of Formentera have been making for years. The proposal seeks to amend Article 69.3 of the Constitution to recognize Formentera as its own electoral constituency in the Senate, as is already the case with other islands in the Balearic archipelago and territories in the Canary Islands. Currently, Ibiza and Formentera jointly elect a single senator, who in this legislature is Juanjo Ferrer, chosen on a unified ticket of progressive forces. This is not the first time the Balearic Parliament has attempted to promote this reform. In three previous legislatures, the initiative reached the Spanish Parliament without success. Now, Congress must decide whether to formally open the constitutional reform process, a step that, if successful, would activate parliamentary debate and allow groups to submit amendments.

Formentera, on the same level as other islands

The reform text establishes that each island—Ibiza, Formentera, and Menorca—will be entitled to one senator, as will several Canary Islands—Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro—thus definitively equalizing the territorial representation of the two archipelagos in the Senate. The initiative also includes a provision linking the effective entry into force of Formentera's senator to the next general elections, once the constitutional reform has been approved. Recognizing the unique characteristics of the islands

In its explanatory statement, the Balearic Parliament argues that the reform aims to effectively recognize the islands' unique territorial, geographical, and social characteristics within the State, and to strengthen the Senate's role as a chamber of territorial representation. According to the text, this is a "felt and necessary" amendment for the entire Balearic Archipelago.

The risk of opening up the Constitution

However, the opening of the process is not without its reservations. Accepting the procedure would mean reopening the Constitution, which would allow parliamentary groups to present amendments on other issues. A recent precedent is the reform of Article 49, concerning the rights of people with disabilities, which ultimately succeeded despite attempts to broaden its scope.