With just over a year until the municipal elections on 23 May 2027, the political contest for Barcelona’s top job is beginning to take shape. The city’s main political parties are starting to name their candidates, signalling the unofficial start of a long campaign to lead the Barcelona City Council.

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Two of the six parties currently holding seats in the council have now formally selected their leaders. Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) has ratified councillor Elisenda Alamany as their candidate, while Barcelona en Comú will be led by Gerardo Pisarello, who takes the reins from former mayor Ada Colau.

The Left-Wing Field Takes Shape

Elisenda Alamany was officially proclaimed ERC’s candidate after winning the party’s primary with 72.8% of the vote. In her confirmation speech, she criticised the previous eight years of government under the Comuns and the Socialists. “The balance hasn’t been lost by chance or meteorological phenomena,” Alamany stated. “It’s been lost because for eight years, the Comuns and PSC have not lived up to what an ambitious and proud Barcelona is.”

Meanwhile, Barcelona en Comú has chosen Gerardo Pisarello to succeed Ada Colau, who led the party in the last three local elections. Pisarello, who secured 68.6% of the vote in his party’s primary, will run on a ticket with councillor Carol Recio as his number two.

Upon his nomination, Pisarello proposed creating a broad left-wing front, a strategy mirroring one suggested for national Spanish politics by ERC’s Gabriel Rufián. The idea is to form a united front to combat the rise of the far-right. However, the proposal has received a cool reception from his potential partners.

“Recovering Barcelona is not done by joining letters and acronyms, nor with a fruit salad,” Alamany remarked, firmly rejecting the idea of an alliance with the Comuns.

The anti-capitalist Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) expressed a willingness to talk, but with a significant condition: any alliance must exclude incumbent mayor Jaume Collboni’s Socialists’ Party of Catalonia (PSC). The CUP views the PSC as “part of the problem” and advocates for a “joint, solid and clear” proposal to create an alternative to what they call Collboni’s “showcase city” model.

Incumbents and Established Right Stay the Course

For his part, Mayor Jaume Collboni is widely expected to seek re-election. The Barcelona federation of the PSC has called him the “clear and evident” candidate, suggesting a primary is unlikely. Collboni has sidestepped questions about future alliances, stating his administration is focused on governing and long-term projects like the investment around the future La Sagrera station. He dismissed the left-wing front proposal as “part of the electoral debate” that he did not wish to enter into, as reported by Tot Barcelona. The mayor has recently been active on policy, proposing tax hikes for non-resident property buyers and uniting with opposition parties on a new anti-crime law.

There are also no surprises expected from the People’s Party (PP), which plans to nominate Daniel Sirera for a second time. Sirera doubled the PP’s representation from two to four councillors in the 2023 election and enjoys the full confidence of the national party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.

Junts’ Leadership Dilemma and New Entrants

The biggest uncertainty surrounds Junts per Barcelona, whose candidate selection process remains at a standstill. While the party initially intended to have a candidate by Easter 2025, internal sources now admit they are “out of time.” The race has become a point of internal debate, with some favouring councillor Jordi Martí Galbís, who could win a primary, and others backing Josep Rius, as previously covered by Barna.News.

Adding a new twist, former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont has reportedly approached businessman Tatxo Benet to be the candidate. Junts’ press office, however, claims to have no knowledge of the offer. The party must decide whether to hold a primary or make a direct appointment, both of which are permitted by its regulations.

The 2027 election will also see new faces. The far-right Aliança Catalana (AC) will contest the Barcelona municipal elections for the first time, with polls suggesting Sílvia Orriols’ party could win seats. The party plans to announce its candidate in April. Meanwhile, Vox has stated it is too early to discuss candidates, dismissing speculation that regional MP Joan Garriga could lead their list.