Barcelona’s Ombudsman, David Bondia, left 522 resident complaints unanswered in 2025. This represents over 30% of the 1,623 petitions submitted by Barcelona residents last year, according to Metrópoli Abierta.
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The Ombudsman’s Office deemed 54 citizen demands inadmissible. Additionally, it referred 228 other complaints to the City Council for processing. The Ombudsman’s Office diverted the remaining 240 requests. These went to other bodies, including the Catalan Ombudsman, the National Ombudsman, consumer organisations, and other local ombudsman offices.
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Ciutat Vella Leads Complaint Figures
Ciutat Vella, despite being Barcelona’s second least populated district, recorded the highest number of complaints per capita. It registered 7.28 complaints for every 10,000 residents in 2025. Gràcia followed with 6.35 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants. The Eixample district completed the top three, with 6.29 complaints per 10,000 residents. Horta-Guinardó (5.79), Les Corts (5.33), Sant Andreu (4.95), Sants-Montjuïc (4.94), and Nou Barris (4.76) also saw significant numbers. Sant Martí and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi had the fewest citizen demands, according to Barcelona Ombudsman Official Site. They recorded 4.62 and 4.29 complaints per 10,000 residents respectively.
The annual report from the Ombudsman’s Office revealed the primary concerns of residents. 23% of complaints concerned the right to good administration. Social protection issues accounted for 12% of complaints. Mobility (11.7%), housing (10.1%), and the environment (7%) also constituted significant complaint categories. Public space issues made up 5.2% of the total. Education and leisure (5.1%), health (4.3%), and consumer rights (4.3%) comprised the remaining complaints.
Controversial Play Sparks Hundreds of Complaints
The Ombudsman’s Office typically consolidates multiple complaints about the same issue into a single entry. This measure aims to prevent duplication in its annual report. However, if individual protests were counted, the right to equality and diversity would rank first among all complaint categories. This shift is due to a controversial theatrical production titled “Esas Latinas”. The Madrid-based company Teatro Sin Papeles faced strong criticism. This criticism followed their satirical portrayal of the Catalan language during a performance. The City Council organised the event where the play was staged.
A total of 322 Barcelona residents formally expressed their dissatisfaction with the play to the Ombudsman’s Office. They argued that the performance was discriminatory towards Catalan speakers. A City Council official, Gay, acknowledged the lack of supervision for the controversial work. Gay stated, “We assume our error.”
Bondia Seeks Re-election Amidst Scrutiny
Ombudsman David Bondia will present the 2025 annual report to the municipal plenary session this Friday. This presentation occurs as he campaigns for re-election to his post. Bondia launched his re-election campaign in March. He defended his management in a video shared on his social media platforms. Bondia asserted that another five years would strengthen the Ombudsman’s Office. He aims to focus on defending human rights and the right to the city. Bondia cited the Casa Orsola case and the city’s approach to homelessness as examples of his effective leadership.
The high number of unanswered complaints raises questions about the effectiveness of citizen recourse. Residents rely on the Ombudsman’s Office to address their grievances with the administration. The upcoming municipal plenary session will provide further insight into these challenges.
Originally published by Metrópoli Abierta – Urban Life. Read original article.
