TW

"No one cares about us because we are foreigners." I must have heard this statement so many times before in expat circles. There is another chestnut which has been going around expat circles for many years as well. "We are foreigners and we shouldn't put our head above the parapet." Well today, dear readers, we can show that these statements are complete nonsense and belong to a bygone era. Yes, today is voting day and non-Spanish Europeans can vote for their mayor and councillors.

"I am not interested, because no one has bothered to tell me about local politics and I do not know what the parties stand for." Well, the Bulletin has tried to do its bit by working alongside the main political parties and producing campaign videos from them in English which have appeared on our website. So really there are no excuses for not voting, and it is also for the good of the island that we all love. When I read the comments on our Facebook site, you do get the impression that many expats want to get involved and make a difference. It is just a pity that more non-Spanish Europeans do not get involved in the local elections because there are many issues which many expats feel strongly about - from the tourist tax to more police.

I know that it is an old saying but your vote can make a difference. No one single party will get a majority today and it will be pacts with other parties which will decide the fate of many councils. If all the foreigners who could vote did so, it could change the political landscape in many areas of the island from Deya to Calvia. So today it is simple. Just vote.