afrol News, 15 May - The nationalist party of Spain's autonomous Canary Islands today announced it would not continue to rule together with the conservative party but rather form a minority government to be able to implement its main political aims, such as a strong and visible policy towards Africa. The move was necessary to assure support from Spain's socialist central government.

The conservative Popular Party (PP), which ruled Spain until March last year, today was thrown out of the Canary Islands autonomous coalition government, with the Canary Coalition (CC) - a nationalist party calling for more autonomy - saying it aimed to form a minority government until the next legislative elections, slated for 2007. CC could count on shifting support from the conservatives and the socialists, as it had done on earlier occasions.

The government crisis in Canary Islands mostly had been produced by the repeated attacks from the PP coalition partner on the socialist central governement in Madrid. This line of confrontation had soured relations bewteen the Canary Islands and Spain's central government to such a degree that the archipelago was experincing less subsidies from Madrid.

According to Adán Martín, President of the Canary Island government, the archipelago had no reason to be on bad terms with the popular government of socialist Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero. In fact, the poor relations had put various important projects in danger, Mr Martín said. The projects include local infrastructure, special EU funds and the islands' Africa policy.

The archipelago has for several years worked to make Canary ISlands a centre for Spain's - and even Europe's - relations with West Africa. This policy could only be realised with the support from the Madrid government. A thaw between Madrid and Las Palmas was noted earlier this week, when Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos visited the island of Tenerife and announced substantial funds from Madrid to construct the prestigious "Africa House".

Already before the arrival of Mr Moratinos, the archipelago's press started speculating on a possible rupture between the two coalition partners, noting that Mr Martín's government obviously was improving relations with Madrid. The coalition with the conservatives seemed to be the price for Madrid's support for "Africa House" and other large Canary Islands projects, according to local commentaries.

The islands' CC party, which now is to head a minority government until 2007, stands for a soft nationalist line. Its basic ideology is pragmatic and leans towards liberal conservatism. The party is often criticised for its very strong ties with the Canary Islands' business community. The initiative for a strong and visible Africa policy came from the CC and the local chambers of commerce.

By staff writers

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories