Snap election

SPAIN is bracing itself for a general election in July after the country lurched to the right in the local elections.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (pictured) took everyone by surprise by calling a snap national poll for July 23.

It comes after the country - and even shockingly Andaluciamostly turned blue in the May local elections.

Around the country, the right wing Peoples Party (PP) share rose by 9%, snaring 31.5% of the votes, compared to 28.2% for the PSOE socialists.

and local party ASI. Leftists resisted in Inca, where PSOE’s current mayor Virgilio Moreno will likely stay in office with the support of the MES left-wing coalition. The left also kept Manacor, as MES candidate Miquel Oliver will stay as mayor thanks to a new coalition with PSOE.

Meanwhile, in Ibiza, PP has kept all five mayor’s offices in the province, achieving an overall majority in Ibiza Town, Sant Joan de Labritja, Sant Antoni de Portmany and Santa Eularia des Riu. And in Ciutadella de Menorca, the PP obtained the most seats (nine), but a left-wing coalition could result in the SOE candidate Carol Cerda becoming the new mayor. Overall, Balearics saw a voter turnout of 56.71%, an increase of almost 2% compared to the 2019 local elections.

Nationwide, the PP benefited from the collapse of centre-right Ciudadanos, taking seven of the 12 regions, overthrowing PSOE in Aragon, Valencia and Rioja. The PP is likely to need support from Vox to form various regional governments.

It is this alarming rise of the farright Vox party that Sanchez thinks he can counter in a quick election.

“The best thing is for Spaniards to have their say to define the political course of the country,” he said on Monday. Voter turnout was similar to 2019, with a 61.4% turnout.

larly in the luxury sector. This has been thanks to the increase in international flights direct to Palma airport, including a direct flight from New York on United Airlines.

What does this mean for 2023 and beyond?

While sales to foreign buyers have cooled off by 31% in the same period since 2022, prices have continued to rise to the tune of nearly 7%.

Coupled with positive results from the local elections, it’s safe to say we should expect a strong second half to the year in 2023 in the Balearics.

Our clients

Considering the preferences of our current clientele, while each individual’s search is unique, there are a handful of similarities among them.

A world post-pandemic has underscored the importance of outdoor spaces like never before. Whether this is an open terrace in a city apartment, or a flat garden in the Southwest, the significance of such spaces has become more pronounced. Furthermore, due to the substantial sales volume in recent years, buyers have expanded their scope when it comes to new developments. Previously, they sought only finished, turnkey properties to avoid the ‘headache’ and complexities of buying during the construction phase. However, heightened demand has compelled buyers to explore properties under construction or with planning permission, in order to build their dream homes with the assistance of local professionals.

For more information on this and many more properties in The Agency’s portfolio, please visit www.theagencyre.com or telephone on +34 871 610 678

Should you own a property in Mallorca which fits the above criteria, please reach out to the team at The Agency Mallorca. Give us a ring or stop by our head office in Portals Nous, we look forward to talking to you.

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