The regional youth wing of Germany’s centrist political party FDP in the southwest of Germany has raised eyebrows after revealing an unusual proposal for the country to buy the island of Majorca off Spain. The liberal party no longer has any representation in the Bundestag, the German parliament, having lost all 91 of its seats in the federal election under the leadership of Christian Lindner earlier this year.
“We Julis (youth division of the FDP) don’t see the acquisition of Majorca as a fantasy, but as a strategic investment,” the group said in an Instagram post on August 12. “Millions of Germans travel there every year – why shouldn’t the enormous tourism revenues directly benefit our national budget? “With Majorca, we are not only securing a profitable premium travel destination, but also a strategic location in the Mediterranean.” The group explained that if Germany were to purchase the holiday island, which saw over five million German tourists in 2024, it would strengthen the country’s economic position.
The purchase, they argued, would create new opportunities for trade, energy and logistics and would give Germany more freedom of action in geopolitically uncertain times.
“In doing so, we are assuming responsibility for an island that has long been a cultural part of our lives, providing legal certainty for the many Germans living there, and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy,” the group added.
“In short, Majorca is not a vacation for us; it is an investment in the future of prosperity, freedom, and self-determination.”
This is not the first time the unusual suggestion has been made in German politics. 30 years ago, similar calls emerged from German political circles to purchase the island from Spain. At that time, conservative CSU parliamentary representative Dionys Jobst made headlines with the proposal, which the Bild newspaper dubbed “a crazy suggestion”, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Germans and Spaniards treated the original proposal as a joke, although it reached the highest levels of Spanish politics, including the Royal Palace. The story gained worldwide media coverage, which ultimately provided valuable publicity for Majorca as a tourist destination more than anything else.
This proposal comes as fears grow in Majorca after levels of German tourism fell in both May and June, with fears that the trend will continue this summer. “German demand appears to have reached its limit in terms of price sensitivity after two years of accepting substantial increases in package deals and flights, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other products and services,” Spain’s tourism institute, Turespaña, said.
