Monday, May 8, 2023, 01:14
There is no doubt that the Vega Baja continues to be a refuge and paradise for those who seek the sea and the benign climate of its coastline and, especially, and this is demonstrated by the data, for the subjects of the recently crowned King Carlos III. However, since ‘Brexit’, the English presence in traditional British ‘colonies’ in the south of Alicante such as San Fulgencio, Benijófar or Rojales has suffered. And even more will be noticed this coming May 28. The data from the Electoral Census registered in the National Institute of Statistics (INE) predict a drastic drop in foreign participation in the elections and the mayors are clear about it: it is a direct consequence of the fact that the English are no longer on board in our particular ‘Commonwealth’ continental with capital in Brussels.
To show a button. In San Fulgencio (with 36% of its registered voters from the United Kingdom in 2022), in the last 2019 elections, 57% of the electorate was of foreign origin. This May, 1,728 people with passports other than Spanish will attend the appointment with the polls, 50% compared to previous elections. A drastic decline that, even so, allows it to continue at the head of the municipalities in the region with the most foreigners on its electoral roll.
San Fulgencio is followed by another traditional multicultural neighborhood of Vega Baja. This is somewhat smaller and quieter: Daya Vieja. The smallest town in population in the region (683 inhabitants) has gone from having 46% of foreign votes to 28%. Very similar drops, all around 50%, in towns where there are many villa developments such as Algorfa (20% of foreign voters), Rojales (19%) or Benijófar (18%).
Community citizens can vote by asking only once, the British now have to do it in every election
But what is the difference compared to 2019? Fundamentally bureaucratic. Although all those citizens of countries integrated into the European Union and all those who have agreements with the ‘club of 27’ can vote –only in the municipal ones– if they are registered and request a single registration in the census, for British things have been complicated. “Now they have to state their intention every time there are elections. For these they had until January, “explains the Councilor for Tourism and International Relations of the San Fulgencio City Council, Darren Parmenter.
FOREIGNERS OVER THE TOTAL ELECTORATE
-
1. Saint Fulgentius.
1,728 (38%). -
2. Daya Vieja.
98 (28%). -
3. Algorfa.
307 (20%). -
4. Rojales.
1,157 (19%). -
5. Benijofar.
335 (18%). -
6. San Miguel de Salinas.
320 (11%). -
7. The Montesinos.
268 (8%).
He has been living in Spain since the summer of 1995 and is presenting these elections on the lists of the mayor, José Sampere (PSOE). These days he admits that he has had to do a lot of teaching with his neighbors in recent months. “Many did not know what to do. We have tried to pass on information from the City Hall. The Provincial Council has also come to give talks about the procedures that must be carried out », he points out.
disgust at the foot of the ballot box
Even so, many councilors fear that there will be more than one upset at the polling station. “They are going to see problems of people who have not found out and they will go to the polls and find out that they are not in the census when, perhaps, they had been voting for years,” laments the mayor of San Miguel de Salinas, Juan de God Fresneda (PSOE). “I know a neighbor, married to a Spaniard and living here for many years, who did not register on time and will not be able to vote,” exemplifies the mayor of Daya Vieja, José Vicente Fernández (Compromís).
In addition, this first mayor explains that, from what he has heard from his neighbors, along with bureaucratic obstacles there would be other compelling reasons. «It also has to do with the collection of retirement and some tax incentives. In fact, there are some who have unregistered and are trying to spend more time each year in their country”, analyzes Fernández.
“Those who continue to participate in the elections are foreigners who have been living in Spain for many years, who are already integrated and are somewhat interested in the people,” explains Fresneda. Even so, she acknowledges that, as a general rule, “they are not very politically active.” “Most only go through the City Hall to present a complaint from their neighborhood.” “There are many who are not interested in politics, it is like that,” admits Darren. “Most are retirees who are enjoying their lives and on May 28, with the heat, more than one will prefer to spend the day on the beach,” laughs the San Fulgencio councilor.
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