Clavijo warns a PP‑Vox government would be “dramatic” for the Canary Islands
He warns of a “very hard offensive” against nationalist and peripheral interests
The president of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, confessed on Friday that a hypothetical central government formed by PP and Vox would be “dramatic” for the archipelago because it would launch a “very hard offensive” against the interests of nationalist movements and the periphery.
“It would be dramatic for the Canary Islands; there would be a very hard offensive against nationalist and peripheral interests.”
In a joint forum with the Basque Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, organized by Cadena Ser, Clavijo said that the islands would have to “deal” with a political model that pushes for the recentralisation of competences. He added, however, that he does not consider the current legislature “exhausted.”
For Clavijo, the central government is “weak and giving its last breaths,” and looking ahead he believes the administration that “suits” the islands is the one that depends on the “votes” of the Coalición Canaria (CC) deputies.
He expressed “envy” toward the Basque Country, which has 11 nationalist deputies in the Spanish Congress, while the Canary Islands have only one. This led him to a self‑criticism about why his party does not secure more electoral support.
The Canary president acknowledged that governments with greater plurality in Cort and that need nationalist support are “more prone” to address the “legitimate demands” of nationalist territories.
He cited concrete examples of how such relationships have benefited the islands:
- Employment plans tailored for the Canary Islands
- A road‑building agreement
- A 60 % income‑tax reduction for La Palma following the volcanic eruption
Nevertheless, Clavijo admitted that in this particular case the central government “is dragging its feet.”