Jason MoorePalma22/05/2019 18:41
TW

The number of non-Spanish candidates standing for election in this weekend's local poll is much lower than usual and unfortunately it is our fault. In previous elections the main political parties all had British or German-born candidates on their lists in areas where there was a strong foreign population. No more I am afraid to say. Turnout among non-Spanish European citizens is very low and this has led to the main political parties losing interest in the so-called foreign vote. This is a great pity but it was bound to happen. In the previous elections only about 25 per cent of foreigners who were eligible to vote actually did so and this was despite the best efforts of the local political parties, who held campaign meetings in English and German and also had foreign candidates on their lists.

This weekend's elections are a golden opportunity for the foreign community to have their voice heard at council level. It is vital that there is a strong turnout. Non-Spaniards living here can't really complain about local services or their councils if they are not prepared to vote. Also, for those who do not understand local politics or the issues, there are the videos which have been produced in English by the main political parties which appear on our website and social media sites. Britain is leaving the European Union but thousands of Britons have made this island their home. This is a chance to be heard and to stand up and be counted.