Election fever hots up in Mallorca

PALMA Arena was site of the latest campaign blitz to hit the Balearics as Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias drew over 5,000 to the venue which was packed to full capacity on December 8, with people reportedly standing outside.

The left-wing leader, whose insurgent party is in fourth place in national polls, denounced corruption and referenced the high rate of bribery and nepotism across the Balearic Islands. 

The venue chosen for the rally was once used to sentence Jaume Matas, ex-president of the Partido Popular in the Balearics and ex-leader of the Govern Balear, to jail for misappropriation of public funds, forgery and bribery. 

Leadership candidates for the four main parties fighting Spain’s hotly contested general election on December 20 are travelling across the country vying for votes, with the Socialist Party candidate Pedro Sanchez holding rallies in Mallorca last week. They are also engaged in a series of televised debates.