The fact that there are no candidates in the Canary Islands' economic capital is another matter entirely. The Socialist Party of Gran Canaria has unanimously agreed to request that the Regional Executive Committee hold primary elections next November to select candidates for the Island Council and the mayoralties of seven municipalities on the island for the May 23, 2027 elections. The proposal, put forward by the Island Committee convened by Secretary General Sebastián Franquis, seeks a common timetable to foster organizational cohesion within the party, arguing that the participation of its members strengthens its platforms for the upcoming elections.
Among the municipalities subject to this mandatory procedure, San Bartolomé de Tirajana stands out as one of the major tourist destinations in the south of the island. In this municipality, Carlos Álamo, the current Tourism Councilor for the Gran Canaria Island Council and Secretary General of the local Socialist Party branch, has stepped forward to lead the municipal project for 2027. Nothing is known about candidates in Mogán.
Álamo, a vocal critic of the current municipal government—which he has even described as one of the worst-run on the island—will face the primary elections in November to confirm his bid to head the party's list for mayor of Tirajana. Along with San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the primary process in November will also affect the Socialist Party branches in Agüimes, Gáldar, Ingenio, Mogán, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and Telde.
The organic strategy devised by the Gran Canaria socialists combines grassroots mobilization in key political arenas with the protection of their current institutional leaders. Thus, municipalities like Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Arucas are temporarily excluded from the primary election calendar, as they are governed by socialist mayors eligible for reelection. These mayors have until October 8th to confirm their candidacies without having to undergo this internal selection process. With this move, the party of Franquis and Álamo seeks to align its island and municipal strategies in a crucial electoral cycle to regain ground in the south and across the island.
