Confusion in the Balearic Parliament. On Tuesday, the governing Partido Popular changed the wording of their motion regarding the tourist tax and removed reference to a reduction in winter months. It also removed a specific reference to an increase in high summer.
Parliament was thus invited to vote on a motion for no more than a modification to the tourist tax. That was that. Nothing about the winter, nothing about the summer, although the PP were clearer in continuing to insist that they will seek a way for residents to avoid having to pay the tax, probably via a deduction on annual tax returns.
What happened? The PP had responded to a proposal by opposition party Més per Mallorca. This rejected mention of a winter reduction. In agreeing to this, the PP gained the support of Més and were in a position to get the motion passed. Which they did. All other parties voted against.
A PP deputy, Margalida Pocoví, said that the Més proposal was accepted "for the sake of consensus" and so that they (Més) "would feel more comfortable voting". She added that this didn't mean that the PP were abandoning what President Prohens had stated during last week's general policy debate, i.e. a tax increase in the summer.
But what did it mean? Firstly, a good deal of politics was in play. President Prohens successfully divided the opposition by referring to Lluis Apesteguia of Més as the "true leader of the opposition" rather than PSOE's ex-tourism minister, Iago Negueruela.
Secondly, and in the background, were the stinging criticisms of the hoteliers. They were furious with last week's announcement of a tax increase by a party, the PP, who the hoteliers viewed as their "friends".
Thirdly, there were the more general criticisms of Prohens for having pre-empted the deliberations of the working parties considering measures to address overtourism and tourism sustainability, which she had created under the social and political pact for sustainability.
It was said in parliament on Tuesday that the decision on the new format of the tourist tax will be reflected in a decree law of urgent measures against tourist overcrowding that will be agreed in advance by these working parties.
A further reason for having left open any change to the tourist tax may be that the government will face less of a grilling at London's World Travel Market, which takes place early next month.
Despite events in parliament, the likelihood is that there will be a summer increase in the tax. As to a winter reduction, this is almost an irrelevance, given that it is already a quarter of the summer rate.