The name of Astrid Pérez, the acting mayor of Arrecife and president of the Popular Party in Lanzarote, has been resonating for days to occupy the chair of the presidency of the Parliament of the Canary Islands for the next four years. This would be a historic milestone for several reasons, if she accepts the offer, she should abandon the mayoralty of the capital, it would be the first time that a candidate from Lanzarote holds this position and she would become the first Lanzarote native to occupy it.
This Thursday on the morning show of Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, Astrid Pérez herself confirmed that the president of the PP in the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, future regional vice president after sealing an agreement with the Canarian Coalition to govern in the Autonomous Community, was the one who offered her this position. "It is a great position and I am grateful to my president, to the president of the Popular Party for having offered it to me," said the current mayor in her radio intervention.
After the elections of May 28, it is expected that the municipal governments will be consolidated on June 17; the island ones, on the 23rd; and the Parliament of the Canary Islands, on the 27th. In the latter, with the constitution of the table of the regional Chamber, it will be determined who will be the secretaries and who will be the president.
"There it goes, there it goes, it remains to be seen, it remains to be seen," said an Astrid Pérez visibly excited on the other side of the transistor, but without clarifying the doubts about her intention to apply for the parliamentary leadership and abandon municipal politics after having secured the Mayor's Office. The decision would be determined in just the ten days of difference from when she accepts to be mayor of Arrecife again (June 17) until she must leave the position to preside over the Parliament of the Canary Islands (June 27).
"This position is not offered every day and the train does not pass every day. It has always been a position that has been disputed mainly by Tenerife-Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria-Tenerife. The truth is that it is a great position," explained Astrid Pérez.
For the island it would also be a great step, "Lanzarote has never had the presidency of the Parliament and that I remember of any body of an autonomous institution. For Lanzarote it would be very important," explained the popular leader on the island.
The mayoralty of the Arrecife City Council, up in the air
If she accepts this juicy offer, the future of the Arrecife City Council could be up in the air. Astrid Pérez sealed a pact with the Canarian Coalition, snatching the mayoralty from the PSOE, winner of the elections of May 28, to share the municipal government. From the result of that union, Pérez would once again be mayor of the island's capital. If she accepts Manuel Domínguez's offer, the mayor's chair of the capital would be up in the air.
For the moment, it is assured that next Saturday, June 17, Astrid Pérez will take office, receive the command of the capital and consolidate the pact or, at least, materialize it. What is not clear is for how long and, if she finally leaves, who will be in charge of taking over.
Rumors suggest that the number two on the PP list in Arrecife, María Jesús Tomar, will be in charge of the Treasury Department of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, so it could be the third, Yonathan Jesús de León Machín, who could occupy his position.
In the words of Astrid Pérez herself: "In Lanzarote and in politics anything happens. One never knows what is going to happen."