SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 2nd April – EUROPE PRESS –
The Canarian Coalition has appointed Carlos Alonso as a candidate for the upcoming European Parliament elections scheduled for the 9th of June. They will be participating in an alliance with the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). This decision was unanimously endorsed on Tuesday by the National Executive Committee (CEN) of the Canarian nationalists.
As stated by the national secretary of the Canarian Coalition Organization, David Toledo, “we, as nationalists, are ready to embrace the challenge with enthusiasm and responsibility, as the Canary Islands strive to assert their role within the European Union and defend their unique status as an outermost region.” RUP”.
Talking about his nomination, Toledo highlighted that Carlos Alonso “is the main assurance in preventing any setbacks in the island’s status as an outermost region, in accordance with article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This is crucial during times of structural transformations influenced by a new immigration policy that should consider the emergencies in the islands, our position as Europe’s southern border, rising prices, supporting the primary sector, and promoting green policies.”
Carlos Alonso, the nationalist candidate for the European elections, will occupy the second position on the election list in the alliance with the PNV. He urges citizens “to take an interest in matters that impact the Canary Islands within the realm of the European Union,” pointing out issues related to security, agricultural policies, climate change, and migration trends. He emphasizes the significance of the upcoming election in June for the Canary Islands because “our primary source of development and progress lies within Europe, making these elections vital for the archipelago.”
Toledo also mentioned that the Canarian Coalition has initiated discussions with other nationalist political entities in Galicia, the Valencian Community, Navarra, Catalonia, as well as other local and island-based Canarian forces, to join forces in supporting “a unified voice that advocates for a bottom-up approach in shaping Europe, whilst safeguarding regional interests.”
Furthermore, the National Secretary of Organization highlighted that the National Executive Committee reviewed other ongoing political matters, including the assessment of actions taken during the initial eight months of governance in the most recent debate on the Canary Islands’ state status. They are preparing for challenges such as the demographic issue to be tackled in the inaugural meeting of the presidents, convened by the Canary Islands’ President Fernando Clavijo, scheduled for the end of this April, and the forthcoming bilateral commission between the Canary Islands and the State to address the transfer of Coasts as outlined in the Canary Islands’ Statute of Autonomy.
Additionally, the CEN discussed the initiatives undertaken by the Government of the Canary Islands led by Fernando Clavijo to request information from the Spanish Government regarding the military exercises initiated by Morocco last Friday in the waters near Western Sahara. In this context, Toledo emphasized that “the lack of transparency from the Spanish government concerning such a delicate matter is unacceptable. The Canary Islands should have been informed about the activities conducted by our neighboring country,” he concluded.
CARLOS ALONSO’S PROFILE
Carlos Alonso is a graduate in Economics and Business Sciences from the University of La Laguna. He also holds a Master’s in European Studies from the College of Bruges, Belgium. His past roles include serving as the Director-General of European Union Affairs for the Government of the Canary Islands, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the regional Executive, President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of La Laguna.
