In a rare display of political unity, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has joined forces with opposition parties Junts per Barcelona and the People’s Party (PP) to champion the implementation of a new national law aimed at cracking down on multi-repeat criminal offenders.

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This alliance was unveiled on Friday morning at a special event in the historic Saló de Cent of the Ajuntament de Barcelona, just hours before the City Council’s plenary session. Titled ‘Let’s Fight Against Repeat Offending’, the gathering celebrated the recent approval of a penal code reform. This reform aims to combat the sense of impunity that has fuelled public concern over safety in the city.

The Mayor met with the leaders of the two main opposition groups, Jordi Martí Galbis of Junts and Dani Sirera of the PP, at the event. They were joined by Cristina Vallejo, dean of the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB), whose organisation was instrumental in drafting the legal reform.

A United Front on Public Safety

Mayor Collboni described the law’s passage as a “shared objective for the city,” emphasising the cross-party consensus. “Today, we send a message from the majority of the council that wants this reform to advance, so that little by little we can eliminate one of the causes of the perception of insecurity in the city in recent years,” he stated, expressing his hope that multi-repeat offending will “become a thing of the past.”

The Congress of Deputies approved the new legislation, which modifies Spain’s Penal Code, on 12 February. It passed with an overwhelming majority of 302 out of 350 votes. The Catalan party Junts initiated the reform, and it received broad support from Collboni’s Socialist party (PSOE), the PP, and Vox.

Jordi Martí Galbis of Junts praised the role of civil society in bringing the law to fruition. “Here we are, the city of Barcelona, gathered to celebrate a step forward,” he said, calling for the law to be applied “with the utmost speed.”

Dani Sirera of the PP highlighted the legislation’s local origins, calling it a law with a “clear Barcelona hallmark.” He added, “This is much more than a legal reform: it is a clear message that Barcelona is not resigning itself, nor looking the other way, but acting when it has a serious problem.” According to reports from 20 Minutos, Sirera noted in the plenary session that a group of just 470 thieves is responsible for over 9,000 offences in the city.

Council Backs Reform with Concrete Demands

Following the ceremonial event, the Barcelona City Council plenary session formally approved a proposition supporting the law. The motion passed with votes from the PSC, Junts, PP, and Vox, while Barcelona en Comú and ERC abstained.

The approved text outlines several key demands for the law’s local implementation:

  • To establish a special “proximate justice” model for Barcelona to fast-track trials for minor offences, particularly those involving repeat offenders.
  • To strengthen institutional coordination between the Guàrdia Urbana, the Mossos d’Esquadra, and the justice system to improve prevention and monitoring.
  • To produce an evaluation report within six months on the law’s impact and the progress of related judicial initiatives.

A Call for Judicial Reinforcement

While political leaders celebrated the legislative victory, the head of the Barcelona Bar Association offered a note of caution. Dean Cristina Vallejo stressed that the law’s success hinges on adequate resources. She urged, “The application of the reform must be accompanied by a reinforcement of the judicial system,” framing multi-repeat offending not just as a criminal issue but also as a “structural challenge that affects society and trust in institutions.”

The push for tougher measures comes despite official figures showing a recent decrease in crime. Data from the last Local Security Board meeting indicates that crimes linked to repeat offending fell by 8.5% in Barcelona during 2023. However, public perception and high-profile incidents, such as the recent dismantling of a gang targeting elderly residents, continue to drive the political agenda on security.

This united front on crime represents a significant moment of cooperation for Mayor Collboni, who has been navigating a complex political landscape while trying to secure a stable budget, a process in which he has warned that €250 million for the city is at risk.