"We must rethink" – Prohens sounds alarm over strong population growth on Mallorca

Warning call from Parliament: 'We must rethink'

On Tuesday evening, shortly after the general debate in Parliament, the mood was noticeably tense. The Balearic premier spoke openly about what many here have felt for years: Mallorca is growing faster than roads, hospitals, and schools can keep up. She cited figures that are hard to forget — almost 50 percent more residents in three decades and projections that foresee a further growth of up to 250,000 people in the coming years.

Not an appeal against people, but against poor planning

It wasn't a flashy campaign appearance. Rather, she called for a pragmatic rethink in population and spatial planning. 'The territory is limited,' she said, implying, and anyone who drives a bit through Palma or the smaller municipalities knows what she means: construction sites on the bypass, crowded waiting rooms in health centers, and neighbors worried about affordable housing.

She stressed that the challenge must be addressed across party lines. Many measures fall under competencies not controlled solely by island governments — for example migration and EU-wide freedom of movement questions. Nevertheless, she argued for working with facts at the local level and avoiding short-term reactions.

Who pays the price?

The debate was not only about concrete and bricks. There was also talk about culture, neighborhoods, and what many people here call 'Mallorcan life.' The prime minister warned that identity and customs are at risk if growth is treated merely as a statistical figure rather than as a design task.

Practically, this means rethinking housing programs, timing infrastructure plans better, and planning health and education services proactively. Whether and how this can succeed will also be shaped by Madrid and Brussels — a fact she openly acknowledged.

In conclusion, she called for a broad societal debate. That's right, I think. In Palma's market, at the bus stop, or at the bakery: discussions about rents, traffic, and crowded beaches are already taking place. Politics must listen now — and act before planning is again overtaken by reality.

Short and to the point: It's not about keeping people out. It's about how we plan together so that Mallorca remains livable — for long-time residents as well as newcomers.