Alaquàs

Alaquàs
—  Municipality  —

Coat of arms
Alaquàs
Location in Spain
Coordinates:
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Valencian Community
Province Valencia
Comarca Horta Oest
Judicial district Torrent
Government
 • Alcalde Elvira García Campos (2009) (PSPV-PSOE)
Area
 • Total 3.9 km2 (1.5 sq mi)
Elevation 42 m (138 ft)
Population (2008)
 • Total 30,297
 • Density 7,768.5/km2 (20,120.2/sq mi)
Demonym Alaquaser, alaquasera
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 46970
Official language(s) Valencian
Website Official website

Alaquàs (Spanish: Alacuás) is a municipality in the comarca of Horta Oest in the Valencian Community, Spain.

Contents

Etymology

The town's name is of Arabic origin, coming from al-aquas (الأقواس), meaning the arcs which is believed to be a reference to a bridge of Moorish origin near the town.

Local politics

Alaquàs is located in l'horta, an area known as the red belt (Spanish: cinturón rojo) due to its tendency to vote for left wing parties. [1] The Communist Party of Spain won most seats at the 1979 local election and remained strong in the area until the 1990s when they declined, losing their last seat at the 1995 elections. The People's Party received the most votes for the first time at the 2011 local elections.

Summary of council seats won

1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011
United Left (IU) 8* 6* 8 3 4 1
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 7 10 8 11 9 11 15 13 10
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) 6
People's Party (PP) 5# 3# 3 7 8 6 8 10
Valencian Union (UV) 1 2 1 1
Workers' Party - Communist Unity (PTE-UC) 1
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 1
Coalició Compromís (Compromís) 1 1
Total number of seats 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21

Source:[2]

*Results for the Communist Party of Spain. In 1986 they joined with other parties to form the current United Left.

#In 1983, the People's Alliance (AP), Democratic Popular Party (PDP), Liberal Union (UL) and Valencian Union (UV) formed a four party electoral alliance. The electoral alliance ended in 1986 and the AP and UV contested the 1987 local elections separately. In 1989 the AP merged with the PDP and UL to form the current People's Party.

Results for the Valencian People's Union, who later formed the Valencian Nationalist Bloc (BNV).

References

External links