Jason MoorePalma14/06/2018 00:00
TW
2

The clock is ticking and if there is no deal soon then it is highly unlikely that British expats will be able to vote in the local elections next year. This is a major blow for the Majorca-based British community because it means that their voice will no longer be heard at council level. British-born councillors have been appointed to positions of power on local councils, especially in Calvia. But Britain leaving the European Union means that British citizens are leaving their voting powers behind.

For British citizens resident in Spain to be able to vote, Britain must sign a bilateral agreement with the Spanish government before the end of the year. The electoral roll closes for the May local elections in December so the clock is ticking. In areas such as Calvia, the so-called British vote has made a big difference. Some political commentators said that it helped change the balance of power giving the Partido Popular victory after many years of socialist rule. It has been said that one of the reasons why the socialist party won the local elections three years ago was because there was a very small turnout by foreign voters.

I wouldn't say that British citizens getting the vote in local elections has been a success. Overall turnout has always been low but it did give the British community some added muscle. I suspect that this muscle will soon be lost. A pity and it will effectively mean that long-time British expats will soon no longer have the vote anywhere.