Family first
Solidarity and mutual aid are de rigueur within the same clan. Children are king, but the elders, who are often highly respected, instill certain values in them. In Formentera, as in the rest of the archipelago, the family structure is still traditional, and it's not unusual to see several generations living together under the same roof. Young people, even when they are working, sometimes stay with their parents until they are married.
In fact, many businesses are still family-run, and know-how is passed down from generation to generation: everyone has their place, whether in service companies or restaurants. The same applies to first names: the eldest child is usually given his or her father's or mother's name, or even the grandparents' name. And if it's not taken directly from the family tree, as on the Spanish mainland, religion has a major influence on the choice of first names. There are plenty of Maria, Jesús and Josep in Formentera!
Place of the woman
Since the end of the dictatorship, the situation of women has changed considerably. Before the fall of Francoism, women tended to be assigned to the three Cs: the kitchen, the chiquillos (kids) and the priest. Today, most of them live relatively late with their parents, are much better educated than their mothers and are marrying much later (the average age of first marriage has risen from 24 to 30 in one generation!). Their employment rate is rising by an average of one point a year, even though the wage gap between men and women still exists. In 2015, Francina Armengol became the first woman to be elected President of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands. She was replaced in 2023 by a woman, the conservative Marga Prohens.
Right to abortion
L'avortement est dépénalisé en Espagne depuis 1985 et légalisé depuis 2010. En 2014, un projet de loi interdisant l'IVG aux femmes a bousculé l'opinion publique, déclenchant une forte opposition au niveau national, international et même au sein du PP. Le projet de loi a été retiré peu de temps après sa proposition. En 2015, les jeunes de 16 et 17 ans étaient obligés d'obtenir l'accord de leurs parents pour avorter. En 2022, la réforme de la loi sur l'avortement permet aux jeunes femmes de 16 et 17 ans d'avorter sans l'accord de leurs parents. En 2024, le parti d'extrême droite Vox a lancé un nouveau recours, rejeté par le tribunal constitutionnel.
LGBTQ+ rights
L'année 2005 a marqué un tournant crucial dans l'histoire des droits LGBTQ+ en Espagne avec la légalisation du mariage homosexuel. Ce changement législatif a ouvert la voie à des droits égaux pour les couples de même sexe, y compris la possibilité d'adopter des enfants. L'Espagne est devenue l'un des premiers pays au monde à reconnaître et à formaliser ces droits, un progrès notable par rapport à d'autres pays européens, comme la France, où le mariage n'a été légalisé qu'en 2013 !
Religious festivities
The liturgical calendar has long been central to social life. Festivities generally honor a particular saint, such as St. Jaume or St. Carmen, bringing together large numbers of villagers in parishes. Traditional dances are performed in front of the churches, creating a festive atmosphere. Young people dress up in their finest finery, and the celebration continues in the streets and at home, with games, dances and folk songs. These moments are a real opportunity to get together with friends, neighbors and, of course, family. The festivities of the liturgical calendar continue to this day, testifying to the deep attachment of the island's inhabitants to their age-old traditions.
