Expat Wins Seat In Spanish Local Elections

Jessica Simpson won a seat in Majocar on May 22nd, making her the first ever Expat to lead a party and win a seat in Spain.

London, UK (Pryce Warner International) May 27th, 2011 – Ms Simpson, leading the Majocar Positiva Se Mueve party, will now represent her party in Majocar town hall. The posting is roughly equivalent to that of a Local Council member in the UK.

The population of Majocar is roughly 10 000, of which 70% are Expats. The increasing numbers of Expats in the region and town itself were what prompted Ms Simpson to found the Majocar Positiva Se Mueve party in the first place, as at the time Expat’s views were not being represented by local government.

Originally from Nottinghamshire, Ms Simpson moved to Spain in 1987 with her parents when the then mayor aimed to stimulate the local economy by offering empty houses to foreign buyers at discount prices.

(Jessica Simpson, Leader of Majocar Positiva Se Mueve)

Some of the issues facing Majocar are indicative of the problems that Spain is facing as a whole. Namely a massive debt that will be very difficult to repay and apathetic young voters. Ms Simpson hopes to tackle these issues at a local level such a case where the local government aimed to spend £3m on an underground car park that would only hold 37 cars.

Throughout Spain, several other Expat candidates were successful, with councilors elected in Zurgena, Arboleas and Pinar de Bedar. With so many British Expats in Spain and the large amount of problems they face, most notably the recent illegal housing fiasco, it is hardly surprising to see Expats mobilising politically to ensure their financial and social wellbeing.

David Harra, a Senior Market & Financial Analyst with Pryce Warner International commented: “It is highly encouraging to see Expats making an impact on the local political landscape. Pryce Warner International Group always encourage our clients to make the most of the local culture and opportunities, and getting involved in local politics is a logical conclusion to this. Especially in countries like Spain where there is a large contingent of Expats, it is vital that people work to get involved in politics to ensure the stability of the community. It can be easy to live in isolation as an Expat and this is often a very dangerous approach, as divorcing yourself from the local political and economic issues can have severe consequences. Expats should always ensure that they are involved as much as possible in the local goings-on, so congratulations to Ms Simpson for setting such a great example.”

Pryce Warner International Group provide International Asset & Investment Management, Independent Financial Advice & QROPS Overseas Pensions.

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By: Aneil Fatania
Financial Editor
Pryce Warner International Group
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