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Editorial: Coalition government

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A new political era gets underway today in the Balearics when Francina Amengol is sworn in as the first female President of the Balearic government.  Amengol, of the Spanish Socialist Party, heads a coalition government which consists of the  nationalist left-wing party, Més, and the anti-austerity party, Podemos.  One of the biggest tasks which Amengol faces is not governing the Balearics but keeping the rather shaky Balearic coalition together. It has taken the three parties almost a month to reach an accord to form a government and the three parties are not natural bedfellows. While, all three are considered to be left-wing Més and Podemos are far more radical.  But Amengol is a veteran negotiator and has always been considered to be a rising star of the Spanish Socialist Party. The leader of her party and candidate for Prime Minister at the next general election, Pedro Sanchez, will be attending her swearing in ceremony today in Palma. Amengol has certainly pulled off a major coup. Her party enjoyed “average” results in the last local elections but she has managed to put-together a left-wing coalition which gives her the presidency and an overall majority. She has already unveiled plans to abolish the previous government´s three language teaching plan and introduce a tourist tax. These are radical policies which could cause problems and put her coalition government under pressure. It is certainly going to be an interesting four years.  

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