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Increased public support for eliminating regional government

Vox are in favour of centralised government without regional administrations. | Teresa Ayuga

| Palma |

The latest sounding of public opinion regarding identity and the form of government shows that almost 32% of Balearic citizens believe that there should either be no regional government or that there should be fewer autonomous powers.

The November survey by the Centre for Sociological Research finds that the same percentage (19.7%) who are in favour of centralised government with no regional administration also consider themselves to be Spanish - and Spanish alone. The highest identity ranking (39.4%) is for feeling both Spanish and Balearic. Those who feel Balearic only is just 4.5%, while those who consider themselves to be more Balearic than Spanish is 12.1%.

Both these latter values have fallen since 2012 when they were, respectively, 10.2% and 26%. There had been decreases in 2015 and the trend has now been reinforced. It suggests, therefore, that there is falling Balearic nationalist sentiment.

The 39.4% value for feeling both Spanish and Balearic is the same percentage for wanting to keep the governmental relationship as it is. There has been increased support from 6.7% to 10.6% for regional independence, though this is down from a peak of 12% in 2012.

The 19.7% who believe there should be centralised government without regional administrations has gone up from 10.7% in 2015. Vox, the right-wing party which made a strong showing at the recent election in Andalusia, is an advocate of this type of governmental organisation.

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