Agreed reliefs and controversies: this is how Balearic municipalities are changing mid-term

PalmThe People's Party (PP) won the May 2023 municipal elections in the Balearic Islands, controlling 33 of the islands' 67 municipalities. Although it governs many of them with agreements that guarantee it the mayoralty for the entire term, some municipalities have established governance agreements that provide for a shared term, such as the one between José Hila (PSIB) and Toni Noguera (MÁS) in Palma between 2015 and 2019, where a change of mayoral office was agreed upon two years ago.

Santa Margalida is one of the municipalities that has changed mayor. Joan Monjo, mayor for Convergència, has handed over the reins to Martí Àngels Torres (PP), who will hold the position until 2027. During his term, Monjo has been heavily criticized by the opposition, especially for two controversies: on the one hand, for minimize sexual assaults during the procession of the Blessed, and on the other hand, for the purchase of some land that, according to the PSIB, could benefit their relatives.

The change of mayor in Porreres will take place at the end of 2025, after 32 months of municipal government by Xisca Mora (El Pi). She will be succeeded by Maria Agnès Sampol (PP), who will assume the mayor's office for 16 months during the final stretch of the term. Mora had to respond to a curious controversy when several media outlets reported that Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, had been accused of plagiarizing the municipality's coat of arms for the logo of her new brand. The mayor responded humorously, stating that the situation was "surreal" and that "at least, many people around the world will become aware that there is an inland town in Mallorca that has this coat of arms." In fact, invited Markle to officially visit the town.

Following his inauguration as mayor of San Juan, Richard Thompson (MORE) He achieved the first progressive pact in the history of this Mallorcan municipality and, in the process, became the first British mayor of Mallorca.. Catalina Perelló (PSOE) will replace him in 2026, according to the agreed pact, facing the last year of the legislature.

In Montuïri, Paula Amengual (MÁS) will govern until December 2025. Antoni Miralles (PSOE) will replace her until 2027. Amengual has been the first woman to have held the position of mayor in the municipality.He has had clashes with the Government over water management in the municipality, which is facing water shortages. Despite his requests and those of other municipalities in the Plan, this year the Government. will not provide financial aid to finance water truckingHowever, this Monday the Government reacted to the criticisms of the commonwealth and assured that has not renounced "at any time" helping the municipalities for these reasons.

In Lloseta, the change of government took place just a few days ago. Angelina Pérez (MÁS), the first woman to hold the town's mayoralty, was replaced by Paquita Campins (PSOE) this June. One of the most controversial points of her term has been the planned renovation of Plaça d'Espanya. Opposition from residents and associations managed to halt the project, which would have significantly transformed the town's appearance.

Ciudadela and Capdepera

Beyond these agreed-upon replacements for reasons of governability at the start of the legislative period, significant changes have also occurred for other reasons. The most notable is the expulsion of the Popular Party (PP) candidate Juana Mari Pons through a motion of no confidence on July 5, 2024, in Ciutadella. The initiative, presented jointly by the PSOE, PSM, and Ciutadella Endavant, was successful, and For the first time in 45 years of democratic town councils in Menorca, there was a change of political colour in the City Council.Juana Mari Pons, who had governed as a minority for 13 months, was replaced by Llorenç Ferrer Monjo (PSOE) as the new mayor of Ciutadella.

Another high-profile case was the agreement between the PP and MÁS in Capdepera, signed in October 2023. The agreement establishes a joint mayoralty between Mireia Ferrer (PP) and Núria García (MÁS), who will take office in November 2025. However, the pact had the support of the municipal grassroots. The disagreement led to the expulsion of the five Gabellin councillors. of the party, a decision that the leadership justified by stating that it was "unacceptable" to make a pact with a PP allied with Vox. The councilors, for their part, argued that they had the support of the membership and that the agreement improved the municipality's governability.