From the co-management of airports to the Roldán law: the Balearic proposals that are frozen due to the elections

PalmaAmong the issues left pending due to the early general elections, there are some that directly affect the Balearic Islands. Among the matters that will be stalled in the Congress of Deputies are the proposed law on airport co-management and the reform of the child protection law promoted from the Islands due to the Roldán case. Likewise, in these new elections scheduled for November 29th, Formentera will elect its own senator for the first time.

Airport co-management

The participation of the Government of the Balearic Islands in airport management has been a hot topic this legislative term. MÉS per Mallorca managed to pass a legislative proposal to co-manage the airports in Parliament in April 2026, with the votes of the PP, the abstention of the PSIB, and the opposing vote of Vox. Once the parliamentary process was completed, the bill was sent to the Congress of Deputies. At that time, it was on the agenda of the Congressional Bureau. The issue sparked debate because, initially, the Spanish government attempted to veto this initiative, arguing that if it were approved, it would lead to a reduction in Aena's revenue, but ultimately, it lifted the veto. With the early elections, this initiative remains frozen.

According to the rules of use of the Congress of Deputies, based on the interpretation of Article 89 of the Constitution, which establishes the basic regulation of parliamentary initiatives, those bills that come from regional chambers —such as the Parliament— do not lapse when the Cortes are dissolved, but only in cases where the consideration debate has not taken place. Therefore, they remain pending for the Congress to resume them after the elections. This is the case of the airport co-management bill.

The reform of the child protection law

The same thing happens with the reform of the child protection law that the Parliament approved at the request of the PP —with 50 favorable votes from all groups and three abstentions from Vox— to prevent people convicted of harassment of minors from working as teachers or in any other profession with regular contact with children. A regulation that started from the case of the teacher Miquel Roldán, convicted of harassment of minors, which generated protests in educational centers in the Islands. Since the Congress has not yet voted on its consideration, the regulation will remain on hold until the Lower House resumes its activity. In contrast, the global expansion of the Organic Law on the comprehensive protection of children and adolescents against violence that the Spanish government approved in May as a draft bill will indeed lapse with the departure of the Executive.

Financing, REB, transport

Although the relations between Marga Prohens' Government and Moncloa were distant, there were also negotiations between administrations on various issues. With the calling of elections, the talks on the regional financing model, the Special Regime for the Balearic Islands (REB), and the Technical Board of the railway agreement are falling through.

Formentera will elect a senator for the first time

These general elections will be the first in history in which Formentera will elect its own senator. The Senate plenary session definitively approved in April 2026 the constitutional reform, promoted by the Parliament of the Balearic Islands, which modified article 69.3 so that Formentera may have its own senator and decouple from the electoral tandem it formed until now with Ibiza. The people of Formentera will have to choose their representative sooner than they had planned.