The landscape of social dialogue in the Canary Islands is poised for an institutional upheaval. The Workers' Commissions (CCOO) has decided to break the status quo and has announced its firm intention to veto the re-election of José Carlos Francisco as president of the Economic and Social Council (CES) of the Canary Islands and advisor to Excelcan, the non-profit association for research, study, and excellence in the tourism sector of the Canary Islands. With the current term expiring in June 2026, the union, which currently holds the position of the archipelago's largest workers' federation, is claiming the presidency for itself, based on the premise that "it is high time" the leadership of the advisory body falls to the social side.
However, it is his close ties as an advisor to Excelcan and the Loro Parque group, the Kiessling family's holding company, that have strained relations with workers' representatives. At a time when major projects like Siam Park in El Veril, in southern Gran Canaria, are under intense environmental and administrative scrutiny, the neutrality of the CES president has become a target of criticism from the unions, who are seeking a figure less beholden to the interests of big tourism capital.
This move directly blocks the aspirations of Francisco, a historical figure linked to Canarian nationalism and with a dense network of interests in the private sector. Although the president had already conveyed to employers' associations his desire to continue leading the body that directly advises the regional government president, the influence of the CCOO union in the plenary session, where it holds one of the two vice-presidencies with María Marrero, makes his continued tenure politically unfeasible at present.
The CCOO's offensive is not merely a matter of alternating power, but an implicit challenge to José Carlos Francisco's accumulation of roles. A former Minister of Health and Economy for the Canary Islands Government under the Canarian Coalition, Francisco combines his institutional position with the honorary presidency of the APD (Association of Consumers and Users of the Canary Islands). The change in leadership at the CES (Economic and Social Council) is no easy task. The plenary is composed of 18 members representing a delicate balance of power: CCOO and UGT each hold three seats; employers' associations (CCE and CEOE) have five; Chambers of Commerce contribute four members; and the remainder are divided among consumer associations and prestigious experts such as Fernando Bergé (CajaSiete).
For CCOO, taking the presidency in June 2026 would allow the CES to become an instrument with greater influence on public opinion, moving away from what they consider an excessively pro-employer stance. The battle for control of the Canary Islands' main advisory body has just begun, and the first casualty in this power struggle is the man who, until yesterday, seemed immovable at the top of the government advisory body.
