Rosa Estaras, an MP for the Balearics

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After the disappointment in Partido Popular ranks following the local election debacle the general election result must give the party new hope in the Balearics. In line with the nation-wide trend the Partido Popular polled 53.8 percent of the vote in the Balearics, a crushing victory for the conservatives and a blow for Balearic leader Francesc Antich who is a socialist. The socialist share of the vote was well done falling to just under 30 percent compared to 36 percent in the last elections in 1996. The victory was so comprehensive that the Partido Popular will be sending five members of parliament for the Balearics to Madrid and a further four to the Senate. But it was not just a bad night for the socialists. All the other parties in the so-called rainbow coalition which governs here saw their share of the vote only marginally increasing. The Majorcan Socialists (PSM) went from having a 5.7 percent share to 5.9 while the Majorcan Unionists (UM) went from 1.6 to 2.11. The leader of the Partido Popular in the Balearics, former President Jaume Matas, will try and use the generel election result to unbalance's the Antich government. Despite being the most voted party the Partido Popular failed to secure an overall majority at the last local elections and the rainbow coalition was born which consists of Spanish Socialists, Majorcan Nationalists, Majorcan Socialists, the United Left and the Greens. If the general election result was repeated in the next local elections then the Partido Popular would win a landslide victory.