Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni faces a difficult municipal plenary in Barcelona this week, with two major items on the agenda: an extraordinary debate on ongoing municipal strikes and the final approval of the Ciutat Vella Land Use Plan. For the PSC government, it is a key test of political control in the city.
The extraordinary plenary was requested by Junts, Barcelona en Comú and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya. It will focus on strikes affecting libraries, nurseries and social services across Barcelona. Unions reject the council’s collective agreement, which was approved in January, and the opposition wants the government to open talks with them.
Later in the session, councillors will vote on the Ciutat Vella Land Use Plan. Collboni expects final approval with Junts’ support. The plan regulates commercial activity in Ciutat Vella, a central district with more than 100,000 residents.
Barcelona en Comú and ERC are expected to criticise the text, saying it does not do enough to limit businesses aimed mainly at tourism. Their argument is that the plan should put more weight on the needs of long-term residents, according to Barcelona City Council.
The People’s Party will also push for support for its criticism of the mayor’s security policy, while Vox plans to raise its idea of “national priority” in Barcelona. The proposal would give Spanish citizens preference over migrant people for municipal aid and subsidies, a position Vox has promoted across Spain.
For more Barcelona politics and city issues, see our Community coverage and Sport updates.
Originally published by betevé. Read original article.
