A proposal to establish a special commission to study ways of limiting speculative housing purchases in Barcelona has been rejected by the City Council, exposing a significant rift between the city’s left-wing political factions. The measure, championed by the governing Socialists’ Party (PSC) and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), failed to secure enough support in Friday’s plenary session.
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The proposal was defeated by ‘no’ votes from Junts per Catalunya, the People’s Party (PP), and Vox. However, the plan ultimately failed due to a decisive abstention from Barcelona en Comú (BComú), the party of former mayor Ada Colau, which prevented a majority in favour.
A Call for Action Over Analysis
The PSC and ERC presented the commission as a necessary step to conduct an in-depth analysis of regulatory options. They aimed to draw on international experiences to craft legally robust measures against speculative investment, which is often blamed for driving up property prices in neighbourhoods like Gràcia and the Eixample. This marks the second time the initiative has failed, following a similar rejection in December.
However, BComú framed their abstention not as an opposition to tackling speculation, but as a protest against what they see as a delaying tactic by Mayor Jaume Collboni’s government. According to reports in Metrópoli Abierta, the party argued that sufficient expert reports and data already exist to justify immediate regulatory action. They contend that another study commission would only postpone concrete solutions to the city’s pressing housing crisis.
“We don’t need more studies, we need the political will to act on the studies we already have,” a BComú spokesperson has previously stated on the matter. This position highlights a growing frustration with the pace of housing reform under the current administration.
A Fractured Left-Wing Strategy
The vote underscores a strategic divide among Barcelona’s progressive parties. While they share the goal of making housing more affordable, their consensus breaks down on the methods and urgency of implementation. The PSC’s more cautious, study-based approach clashes with BComú’s demand for immediate intervention, a policy approach that defined much of their own time in government.
This deadlock could stall further progress on a key issue for many Barcelona residents. The city continues to grapple with housing affordability, a challenge leading to various policy proposals and legal battles. For instance, the Collboni government has floated ideas including a plan to raise taxes for non-resident property buyers. Meanwhile, Spain’s Supreme Court recently upheld the city’s landmark rule requiring developers to allocate 30% of new builds to affordable housing, a legacy of the Colau administration.
The opposition from the right-of-centre parties was expected. The PP, for example, has been a vocal critic of market interventions, recently vowing to challenge Catalonia’s regional housing law in the Constitutional Court. Their votes, combined with those of Junts and Vox, created a solid bloc against the proposal.
With this commission now off the table for the foreseeable future, pressure mounts on Mayor Collboni’s administration. They must present an alternative, actionable plan to combat property speculation, one that can secure a majority in a deeply fragmented city council.
