Mayor Jaume Collboni has warned Barcelona stands to lose €250 million in crucial investments for schools, health centres, and transport infrastructure if the Catalan regional government fails to pass its budget. The mayor issued a stark appeal for political responsibility, stating that a prolonged stalemate in the Catalan Parliament would have a direct and damaging impact on the city’s residents.
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Speaking on Wednesday at his annual ‘L’alcalde respon’ (The Mayor Responds) conference, held at the Disseny Hub Barcelona, Collboni stressed that numerous joint projects between the Barcelona City Council and the regional Generalitat de Catalunya are contingent on the budget’s approval.
“Barcelona is risking 250 million euros if there is no Generalitat budget,” Collboni stated at the event, which was organised by the Col·legi de Periodistes de Catalunya. “Political differences are legitimate and logical… but we must make it clear: there are 250 million euros at stake for the city. There are projects co-financed with the Generalitat, and we need them to move forward.”
A High-Stakes Political Impasse
This warning comes amid tense negotiations for the 2026 Catalan budget. The minority Socialist government, led by Catalan President Salvador Illa, requires support from other parties to pass its spending plan. However, deep divisions remain, particularly with Esquerra Republicana (ERC), whose cooperation is vital. The political landscape is fraught with challenges, echoing the failure of the 2024 budget, which ultimately led to a snap election.
According to reports from betevé, potential funding cuts would affect a wide range of essential services. These include renovations for schools, the construction of several much-needed primary healthcare centres (CAPs), and major mobility projects like the long-awaited tram connection to Plaça de Francesc Macià. Collboni specifically noted that the timeline for the tramway extension could be “affected” without the regional funds.
This political friction is also visible on other fronts. For example, the Comuns party has made its support for the budget conditional on the government passing a law to ban speculative property sales, adding another layer of complexity to the negotiations.
A Real Effect on People’s Lives
Despite his party affiliation, Mayor Collboni adopted an institutional tone, refraining from delving into the specifics of the political haggling. “It is not my place to enter into the details of the negotiation,” he said, as reported by Europa Press. “I have an institutional position and an obligation to say that it is very important to have a Generalitat budget.”
He framed the issue as one of public duty, urging all parties to be conscious of the real-world consequences of their decisions.
“Be aware that, beyond the differences between the parties and the conditions they set, not having a budget has a real effect on people’s lives,” he warned.
The mayor’s call for consensus in the Catalan Parliament comes as he navigates his own minority government in Barcelona. As noted by Metrópoli Abierta, Collboni has successfully passed specific spending measures with the support of ERC, a party whose backing is now proving elusive for the Socialists at the regional level. This includes recent demands from ERC for the city to expand Catalan language courses for immigrants.
While facing these challenges, Collboni reaffirmed his commitment to governing through dialogue. “I will be mayor until the last day,” he asserted, vowing to continue seeking agreements across the political spectrum to advance major city projects, such as the transformative urban renewal around the future La Sagrera station.
