SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Jan. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez, was unanimously chosen this Thursday as president of the Conference of the Regional Legislative Assemblies of Europe (CALRE) for the year 2025, thus becoming the first woman from the Canary Islands to lead this international organisation.
The voting took place during the meetings of the Permanent Committee and the Assembly of this international body.
“It is a privilege to represent my fellow presidents from all European parliaments,” the president of the Canary Islands began by expressing her gratitude, particularly to the representatives of the Spanish autonomous chambers who endorsed her candidacy.
Astrid Pérez has advocated for ensuring that the regions “feel involved in the decision-making processes of European significance” and has emphasised that “cohesion policy is the most effective tool to uphold the specific status of the territories remote from the continent”.
During her address, the president noted that she intends to lead CALRE with the main goal of enhancing European democracy and the values that underpinned the establishment of the Union, while preserving coexistence, tolerance, and regional distinctiveness.
Concerning the Canary Islands, she stated that “Europe must continue to mitigate the disadvantages of being an outermost region,” an aspect that “must be incorporated into the Financial Framework for the period 2027-2033.”
She also highlighted the necessity to “defend and reinforce decentralisation and commit to unified decisions regarding the unique characteristics of the territories.”
Pertaining to the state of current communication networks, the president remarked that “Artificial Intelligence and technologies herald a new era in the global and European socioeconomic landscape, and the Conference must formulate a strategy” that connects regions with citizens.
Astrid Pérez concluded by urging all representatives of the CALRE assemblies and parliaments to “collaborate in advancing Europe and its regions,” as noted in a statement from the Regional Chamber.
