Le Senne uses Islands Day to question autonomy and rail against immigration

The institutional address given by the Speaker of the Balearic Parliament, Gabriel Le Senne, on the occasion of Balearic Islands Day, has sparked considerable political controversy due to its critical view of the autonomous state system and the way in which he addressed immigration, with statements that deviate from the tone usually associated with such events. During his speech, Le Senne defined the autonomous model as a system "incapable" of providing an effective response to certain emergency situations, despite acknowledging that, as Speaker of the Parliament, he is obligated to respect and enforce it. He also opened the door to a possible constitutional reform, should the citizens so decide. One of the most contentious points of the speech concerned immigration. Le Senne spoke of "mass immigration," defended strict border controls, and rejected the regularization of migrants proposed by the central government. In this context, he linked birth rate and immigration data, and made references to the "cultural affinity" of the newcomers, incorporating arguments that several analysts have linked to the theory of A widely questioned thesis associated with the European far right.

Reactions were swift. The People's Party spokesperson in Parliament called for more institutional speeches on Islands Day, focusing on what unites the islands, although they admitted to sharing some of the president's assessments, particularly regarding housing and immigration.

The PSIB-PSOE was much harsher, calling the speech "xenophobic and racist" and stating that it did not represent the majority of Balearic society. The Socialists lamented that the institutional event had become a partisan message and accused Le Senne of missing an opportunity to deliver an inclusive speech that respected the islands' diversity. Additionally, Vox openly defended the intervention of the Speaker of the Balearic Parliament, asserting that he had been "up to the task" of addressing what, according to the party, concerns the citizens of the Balearic Islands, such as immigration, the pressure on housing, and European policies affecting the primary sector. The controversy leaves the Day of the Balearic Islands marked more by political debate than by institutional consensus, and reopens the debate about the role and tone that the Speaker of Parliament should adopt in events that, traditionally, have sought to represent all the citizens of the Balearic Islands.