The PSIB-PSOE in Formentera has proposed Neus Massanet as its preferred candidate to represent the island in the Senate at Spain’s general election on 29 November 2026. The socialists are seeking a broad agreement with other left-wing parties to present a single candidate for Formentera’s new, separate Senate seat.

The proposal was discussed by the party’s island executive and announced by its general secretary, Rafa Ramírez. However, negotiations with the other parties have not yet produced a final agreement, meaning Massanet’s candidacy is not confirmed.

The election will mark a change for Formentera, which will choose its own senator for the first time rather than sharing a Senate constituency with Ibiza.

Why the PSOE Wants a United Left-Wing Candidate

The socialist proposal is based on the idea that a single candidate supported by several progressive parties would have a stronger chance of winning Formentera’s only Senate seat.

Ramírez has called for the island’s left-wing parties to unite, arguing that they should work together to defend social welfare policies and prevent the right and far right from gaining the seat.

The PSOE has criticised the political record of the right on Formentera and argues that cooperation between progressive parties is particularly important in a constituency where only one candidate will be elected.

These are the party’s stated political arguments for seeking an agreement. Whether the proposal succeeds will depend on negotiations with the other parties and the final candidate lists.

Who Is Neus Massanet?

Neus Massanet took over the shared Ibiza-Formentera Senate seat from Juanjo Ferrer in July 2026, following the arrangement agreed by the progressive coalition that won the seat in the 2023 general election.

She was elected under the joint list Eivissa i Formentera al Senat, which brought together PSOE, Sumar, EUIB and Ara Eivissa. Massanet is an independent, rather than a member of the PSOE itself.

The dissolution of the legislature on 5 October ended that parliamentary term. The new electoral arrangement means the parties must now decide separately whom to support in Formentera and Ibiza.

Massanet has previously expressed support for renewing cooperation between the island’s progressive forces. In late August, she identified Gent per Formentera, the PSOE and Izquierda Unida as central to the negotiations.

The current proposal would make her the left-wing candidate for Formentera, provided the parties reach an agreement.

Other Parties Are Preparing Their Candidacies

The PSOE proposal comes as other political forces prepare for the 29 November election.

Vox has confirmed that it intends to present its own candidate for the Senate in Formentera, although the person’s identity had not been announced in the reporting reviewed.

The Partido Popular and Compromís per Formentera, meanwhile, are planning to repeat their joint Sa Unió candidacy. They are negotiating over who will stand for the alliance.

Llorenç Córdoba, the former president of the Consell de Formentera, has ruled out standing for the Senate, explaining that a new political party would not have enough time to organise itself before the election.

The emerging picture is of a contest in which the right may be divided between separate candidacies, while the left is attempting to reach a common agreement.

Why the New Senate Seat Matters for Formentera

Under the previous arrangement, Ibiza and Formentera voted together for their shared Senate representation. The forthcoming election introduces a separate seat for Formentera, giving the island its own direct representation in the upper chamber of Spain’s parliament.

That change requires parties to develop island-specific strategies rather than relying on a combined Ibiza-Formentera list.

The Senate is responsible for representing territorial interests within Spain’s parliamentary system, alongside its wider legislative and oversight functions. Formentera’s new seat is therefore a significant change in how the island will be represented at national level.

The election is also taking place amid wider negotiations among progressive parties across the Balearic Islands over possible joint Senate candidacies.

A Short Timetable for Reaching an Agreement

The parties have limited time to settle their arrangements. The deadline for submitting candidate lists for Congress and the Senate is scheduled for 21–26 October, with the electoral authorities due to proclaim the candidates on 2 November.

Before the lists are finalised, the PSOE must persuade other left-wing parties in Formentera to support Massanet or reach another agreed arrangement.

Until that happens, her name remains the PSOE’s proposal rather than a confirmed candidate representing a united left-wing coalition.

The outcome of the negotiations will help determine how the island’s political forces approach the first election in which Formentera chooses its own senator.