THE leader and founder of the regional Green Party, Francisco Garrido has resigned from his position following the municipal elections.
Garrido, who will be replaced by Andrés Sánchez, will retain his position as Green Party representative in Parliament.
Speaking at a meeting of regional Green Party members, the former Andalucía leader claimed the party’s poor results in last month’s local elections did not force his decision to resign.
The group won only three councillors in the whole of Granada – in Órgiva, Sorvilan and La Taha in La Alpujarra. Mayoralty candidate for Granada, Jesús García received only 2 per cent of the vote.
“I had made this decision even before I heard the results of the elections and would have stood by it had May 27 been better for us.
“But I do feel our poor results justifies my decision,” he added.
He then said why he feels the party is finding it difficult to make headway in elections.
“Voters in the south of Europe do not vote for the Greens. Maybe this is because of a political backwardness or they see a Green vote as a vote that stops development.
“The majority of people believe development is closely linked with the brick. If a mayor promises to bring bricks and mortar then they believe employment and riches follow.
“It does not matter if corruption is involved,” he said.
Garrido, who teaches philosophy of law at Granada Universtiy, formed the Andalcía office of the Green Party in 1989 and became the group’s representative in regional parliament in 1994 before moving to national parliament.
He was behind the successful move to have the Sierra Nevada classified as a National Park and the Great Ape Project – a parliamentary motion in Spain to give apes the same rights as humans.
