Barcelona’s City Council has approved a plan to introduce a universal 50% subsidy for school meals for all preschool, primary, and special education pupils, aiming for a 2027 start date. Championed by Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), the measure passed during a plenary session on Friday with broad opposition support, but crucially, without the backing of the governing Socialist Party (PSC), which abstained.

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The proposal, ratified with votes from ERC, Junts per Catalunya, the People’s Party (PP), and Vox, aims to create a new universal benefit to help families cope with the city’s high cost of living. However, both the PSC and Barcelona en Comú abstained, arguing the current system of means-tested aid is more effective and progressive.

A Universal Benefit vs. Targeted Aid

ERC’s municipal leader, Elisenda Alamany, presented the initiative as a direct response to child poverty and financial strain on families. “One in three Catalan children today lives in a situation of poverty or social exclusion,” she stated during the debate, noting the figure rises to 40% in Barcelona. Studies show subsidised meals offer significant economic relief to families.

To fund the measure, which ERC estimates would cost between €20 million and €40 million annually, Alamany proposed a co-financing model between the Generalitat de Catalunya and the City Council. She suggested allocating funds from the city’s increased tourist tax surcharge. “From the pockets of tourists to the pockets of families to counteract the rising cost of life,” she declared.

The proposal gained support across the political spectrum. Neus Munté of Junts justified her party’s vote by stating the measure “responds to a reality many families know: Barcelona is a city where the cost of living constantly rises.” The PP’s Antonio Verdera added that school canteens are a “key element to guarantee the basic well-being of children,” lamenting the current model leaves many working families without support.

The Government’s Counterargument

The governing PSC, however, questioned universalising the benefit. The Deputy Mayor of Economy, Jordi Valls, argued the city’s existing system of becas comedor (meal scholarships) already effectively targets those most in need. He provided data showing that 51,000 of the 171,000 students in public and concerted schools currently receive aid, representing a €55 million investment.

“Ninety percent of these [scholarships] cover 100% of the service cost,” Valls explained, as reported by El Periódico. He highlighted that in some of the city’s most vulnerable districts, such as Ciutat Vella and Nou Barris, over 50% of students receive aid, with rates reaching 86% in certain areas.

Valls contended that the ERC proposal “breaks the principle of progressivity.” He asked rhetorically, “Do we have to pay 50% of the dining scholarship to people with a much higher economic capacity?” The Socialists estimate the universal measure would increase annual spending to €81 million, significantly higher than ERC’s projections.

A Political Hurdle Remains

Despite its approval in the plenary, the proposal is non-binding, and its implementation remains uncertain. Valls stressed that applying the subsidy would require a new municipal budget approval. This poses a significant challenge for Mayor Jaume Collboni‘s minority government, which has struggled to secure support for its financial plans. As previously reported, critical funding for Barcelona is already at risk due to a budget deadlock at the Catalan level.

The approved text, according to 20 Minutos, urges the municipal government to present an operational plan for the subsidy within three months, detailing criteria, a timeline, and budgetary requirements. It also calls for a study into subsidising school trips and camps.

The debate over school meals occurred during a contentious session, where the opposition also defeated a government proposal to study measures against speculative housing purchases. The political friction, particularly between the PSC and their former partners Barcelona en Comú, underscores the difficult legislative environment the Collboni administration faces.