Armengol makes her candidacy conditional on Sánchez's plans in Madrid

PalmFrancina Armengol went from operating at the regional level to becoming part of Pedro Sánchez's inner circle upon becoming Speaker of the Congress of Deputies. This is one of the reasons why the Secretary General of the PSIB (Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands) is postponing her decision on whether she will lead the party's candidacy for Prime Minister in 2027. This, for now, is unclear, as it largely depends on how the Spanish Prime Minister decides to approach 2026 in Madrid, with the possibility of early elections looming over the parties. During the PSIB's Christmas reception in Palma, the Socialist Secretary General once again avoided clarifying whether she will be the candidate in 2027. Armengol entrusted herself to the primary process that the PSIB will carry out in 2026 and assured that she will be "wherever she is needed." She also warned that democratic values ​​are "in danger" internationally. "Not one step back from anyone, one step forward, strength and courage to fight," she said, referring to the upcoming election cycle, both in Spain and in the autonomous communities. The goal, she insisted, is for the Socialists to govern, including in the Balearic Islands. The Socialist leader maintained that the head of the regional government, Marga Prohens, "completely surrendered to Vox's positions" and emphasized that there are people who "want a progressive government."

During her speech to journalists and socialist cadres, Armengol was accompanied by the general secretary of the Federation of Socialists of Mallorca (FSM), Amanda Fernández, the only other official who also spoke at the event. How the ARA Baleares progressedFernández is a profile that the PSIB is considering as one of the leading options to succeed Armengol. Initial forecasts indicated that she would be in a position to assume this role starting in 2027, but for now, everything is up in the air. Until the PSOE's national situation becomes clearer—a situation strained by corruption cases and the fragility of the plurinational majority that supports the Spanish government—no definitive decisions can be made in the Balearic Islands, according to party sources. Armengol stated in Palma that it "makes perfect sense" for Sánchez to "last the entire term" (the next elections could be called sometime in 2027). She also emphasized that Congress "is functioning" and that the Spanish government has passed more than 50 laws in the last two years. However, she left open the possibility that Sánchez might call early elections "if he deems it appropriate." What is her current situation? The Socialist has declined to clarify whether she will seek to lead a PSIB candidacy, despite having run again as the party's general secretary in the Balearic Islands in February 2025, and continuing to lead its political strategy and discourse in the Balearic Parliament. Internally, there is unanimous support for her to run again. "She is an extremely valuable asset," say sources familiar with the situation. However, these same sources admit that "she is now in a different league" and is bound by the decisions of the PSOE in Madrid. If Sánchez wins the elections, he could reserve a prominent position for the national government, for the Socialist parliamentary group in Congress, or retain her as Speaker of the Lower House. "Once the situation in Madrid becomes clearer, further decisions can be made," these sources indicate. Meanwhile, the other parties are positioning themselves, although they too have not yet definitively chosen their lead candidates. Más per Mallorca renewed its executive committee and party platform this month, while Vox appointed the Speaker of the Balearic Parliament, Gabriel Le Senne, as its provincial leader. Meanwhile, the People's Party (PP) is also keeping a close eye on national developments. Specifically, it is awaiting the results of the regional elections in Andalusia and Aragon to analyze its position for 2027, especially in relation to Vox, which is surging in the polls. In this regard, Armengol lamented the "utilitarian and centralist attitude" of the PP, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, for "forcing" regional elections—as in Extremadura—to gain political advantage from Madrid. "It's a scandal in the pluralistic Spain I believe in," she lamented.