Although there is another article dedicated to the election results in Almunecar, it’s worth mentioning a couple of things here.

Firstly, the role of the PSOE in the new Town Council, who hold the key to who will sit in the Mayor’s seat. To be able to govern effectively in Almunecar you need eleven council seats, which give you the majority. Now Benny won seven seats and the conservative PP won six.

Although the two minor parties (IU & PA) both immediately proclaimed their support for the PP candidate, the PSOE is holding it’s cards close to its chest – and for good reason.

With the PSOE’s backing of four councillor seats, Benny can retain the mayor’s seat, forming a coalition with the PSOE. Why would Francisco Prados, local leader of the PSOE, opt for this? Because the PSOE have been floored by the PP all over the country in these latest elections and by denying the PP Almunecar, they would be offsetting the dominance of the PP on the Costa Tropical.

However, this is dangerous because it takes just one of its four councillors to switch sides, and the PP, PA & IU would cause their local government to fall. And believe me, councillors changing sides is the favourite sport of our politicians.

Quite another thing, is how they are going to sell it to Almunecar…
On the other hand, they can back the PP with their four council seats, providing Almunecar with a stable Town Council, thus earning the kudos, and maybe – who knows – a side deal with the PP for a spot of ‘understanding’ in another town in Spain where PP support would make all the difference.

There might be another price to pay for such collaboration; one that has been paid before in Almunecar, entailing the four years of the legislature being divided between PSOE and PP mayors. Anyway, on the 11th of this month, we shall know for sure.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Andalucia)