Institutional and social pressure until the last minute for Formentera to have its own senator

In the final hours before the Congress of Deputies vote to decide whether Formentera will have its own senator, there has been unanimous pressure from citizens and organizations on the island in favor of having their own voice. The president of the Formentera Island Council, Óscar Portas, made a "clear and firm" appeal to the parties represented in the Spanish Parliament to support the constitutional reform that would allow the island to have its own senator. The appeal comes on the eve of a vote that Portas himself has described as a "decision of profound democratic significance." According to the island president, this is not a partisan debate, but rather a matter of "institutional responsibility" in the face of a "historic and widely shared" demand by the people of Formentera. In this regard, he warned that "there is no room for abstention" in a vote that, in his opinion, will determine whether the island can be heard "with its own voice" in the Senate. Portas insisted that the proposal has the support of the island's institutions and the Parliament, and appealed for compliance with this political mandate. "We are not asking for a symbolic gesture, but for a fair and consistent decision in the general interest," he asserted. He also rejected the notion that creating a senator for the island is a privilege, defining it instead as a "matter of institutional dignity" and the effective defense of Formentera's interests. Platform of those affected by the coastal delimitation

Meanwhile, the Consell's position has received the support of the Platform of those affected by the coastal delimitation in Formentera, which has also urged the groups in Congress to facilitate the initiative's approval. The organization believes the measure aligns with the Senate's role as a chamber of territorial representation and would allow for the direct addressing of the island's specific needs. The platform emphasizes Formentera's unique character, marked by its island status, size, and isolation—factors that, it argues, justify distinct representation. In this regard, it points out that other territories with similar populations, such as El Hierro, already have their own senator. Both the Council and the platform agree that the vote is a historic opportunity to resolve a long-standing demand. Therefore, they urge the parties to act with foresight and set aside political calculations in a decision that, they assert, directly affects the quality of Formentera's democratic representation within the State.