Goodby To Spanish Place Names In The Balearic Islands

The Ministry of nan Presidency, Justice, and Parliamentary Relations has ordered each courts and tribunals successful nan Balearic Islands to usage nan charismatic Catalan-language names of their office successful tribunal orders, rulings, and judgments, sloppy of nan connection successful which they are written. 

Moving forward, for example, nan spot names of Palma, Eivissa, and Maó will beryllium used, and nan antecedently communal forms Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, and Mahón will nary longer beryllium utilised.

This caller measurement responds to a petition submitted successful March 2025, which reported that astir courts successful Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, and Mahón continued utilizing nan Spanish names connected their archiving and letterheads.

‘And enactment of justice’

Spain’s Minister of Presidency Félix Bolaños said nan changes successful municipal names go charismatic erstwhile they are registered successful nan Registry of Local Entities and published successful nan Official State Gazette, truthful it is due to use nan toponymy of nan charismatic connection successful each judicial proceedings.

FEM-HO, a Menorcan relation for nan defence of nan Catalan language, welcomed nan decision, calling it “an enactment of justice”.

“The truth that nan judiciary utilized unofficial names successful its actions was unacceptable and incomprehensible, considering that it is taxable to nan norm of law,” nan group said successful an Instagram post. “The authorities regulating toponymy is clear: each charismatic toponyms of nan Balearic Islands are, for each intents and purposes, successful Catalan.”

How astir Spanish speakers’ rights?

However, Hablemos Español, a group advocating for nan usage of a communal connection crossed nan country, wrote connected X  that pinch nan measure, “the plundering of our toponymy continues”, arsenic it has been happening successful different regions successful Spain, specified arsenic Catalonia, Valencia, nan Basque Country, and Galicia. 

“It’s worthy remembering that nan relation was founded to take sides nan authorities of Spanish speakers,” it said.