MAY REGRET THIS!!

well as despite coming third in the last two elections have spent eight years in government.

Then we have the far left, the nomi ‐nally less left (Socialists, PSOE), the cen‐tre right Conservatives (Partido Popular) and the far right (Vox). The last of these is yet another which appears overnight, does nothing for four years and then again comes out of hibernation for the elections. That is their right so to do.

be unbiased. But what the hell: here goes! There are four parties that you have probably never heard of. They ap‐pear out of the ether at each election and during the ensuing legislature re ‐treat back into obscurity. Why would you want to vote for a party you have never heard of and which has never been active in Mijas other than present‐ing candidates for the election?

Then there are the two new parties. One of them is recycled and revamped by someone who is on Mijas Council and now claims there is something new to offer, which wasn’t offered in his time in government. There is a brand new party. What can I say: no experience, no track record. Not much more to add to that.

Then there are the Old Faithfuls: the centre party (Ciudadanos) which I refer to as the “swingers” as they have shown that they can swing either way depend‐ing on which direction gives them the best advantage. They have done it very

Before I came to Spain, I had never had an affiliation with any political par‐ty. I would say that I maybe squinted to the left rather than leaning in that direc‐tion, but Socialism in Spain reminds me of an old aunt of mine who slept with a framed picture of Joseph Stalin over her bed. Just a personal opinion and not a statement of fact.

All I can say is that voting by political labels in Spain can lead to disillusion ‐ment. What is classed as a hot curry in a Spanish restaurant wouldn’t even break a sweat on a hardened vindaloo eater from the UK.

Please don’t ask me who to vote for. I’m not allowed to say.