There will be a meeting of Ciudadanos Europeos de Mojácar at the Hotel Continental on Saturday June 19th at 11.00am. The meeting will be chaired by Councillor Angel Medina and Lenox Napier.
Angel has placed two cultural information panels in Mojácar - in the Plaza Nueva and the Parque Comercial, and has ordered 'quitamiedos' metal barriers for the roads and streets of the Paratá which should be erected in late June. He will present a study of the builders' cranes (a request from an earlier meeting) and will order the removal of those which are not in use. He has ordered the removal of the large billboard outside the Mojácar pueblo square. He has other plans and accomplishments to relate and will, as always, be taking questions and suggestions.
All are welcome to attend.
lunes, 31 de mayo de 2010
viernes, 21 de mayo de 2010
Don't be Fooled
Mojácar is always different from anywhere else when it comes to politics. In the last elections, we had fourteen parties, one of which, Mojácar 2000, didn't end up competing. All this for about 3000 voters. Of the thirteen parties that did present candidatures, several of them were unable to obtain a seat in the council. You need in our town (an estimate) around 130 votes for one council seat. You may remember the potty bloke in a suit who lurked outside the post office, or the drunken barman who ran a 'far left' party...? These 'lost votes' essentially went to the most voted party.
In Spain, and let's contrast the British or American system, we have proportional representation. In other words, you vote for a list. There are usually - let's say - three parties to choose from: PP, PSOE and a third independent or smaller group (like Ciudadanos Europeos). This means that both your candidate and their candidate are going to get in and the question is more to do with the following names on the various lists. This is why the local parties like to put someone popular... or foreign... way down a list. They are there as cannon fodder - nothing more. They won't get into the town hall, but they will attempt to raise the attraction of the party proposal.
In our town, there are two or three powerful families who spend a lot on these local elections. They see this no doubt as an investment. They are, of course, in the minority and they are also in disaccord amongst themselves. However, since the 'Europeans' won't vote (just 13% did last time) and since they will be distracted by various 'no-hope' parties or having Mr Smith or Mr Jones as Nº 11 on some party list, the European vote, which could actually be a control on our town hall, is wasted.
So, how much choice will there be for the voters next time? We are already hearing of two new parties...
The next elections are just a year away.
In Spain, and let's contrast the British or American system, we have proportional representation. In other words, you vote for a list. There are usually - let's say - three parties to choose from: PP, PSOE and a third independent or smaller group (like Ciudadanos Europeos). This means that both your candidate and their candidate are going to get in and the question is more to do with the following names on the various lists. This is why the local parties like to put someone popular... or foreign... way down a list. They are there as cannon fodder - nothing more. They won't get into the town hall, but they will attempt to raise the attraction of the party proposal.
In our town, there are two or three powerful families who spend a lot on these local elections. They see this no doubt as an investment. They are, of course, in the minority and they are also in disaccord amongst themselves. However, since the 'Europeans' won't vote (just 13% did last time) and since they will be distracted by various 'no-hope' parties or having Mr Smith or Mr Jones as Nº 11 on some party list, the European vote, which could actually be a control on our town hall, is wasted.
So, how much choice will there be for the voters next time? We are already hearing of two new parties...
The next elections are just a year away.
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