Barcelona has wrapped up one of its most contentious budget processes in recent years. Mayor Jaume Collboni succeeded in getting the city’s 2025 budget approved, even in the absence of broad political support. After he submitted a vote of confidence to the city council in November, the opposition failed to propose an alternative administration. This automatically opened the path for the budget to take effect starting January 1.
The municipality now has a record-high amount at its disposal—over 4 billion euros. This marks the second time Collboni has used the vote of confidence mechanism to push through the budget. Last year, he also had to resort to this tool to secure city funding. In 2024, Barcelona operated on an extended budget that had been approved by the previous mayor, Ada Colau.
Record Funding
The city’s total expenditure for 2025 will reach 4.18 billion euros. The main priorities are addressing the housing issue and improving public safety—topics that residents of Barcelona consider the most urgent, according to polls. Funding for the housing sector has been increased by a third compared to the previous year, with allocations for this area up by 33%.
The security sector is allocated 430 million euros. This funding will go toward installing a thousand new surveillance cameras and hiring a hundred new city police officers. Authorities hope these measures will reduce crime rates and help residents feel safer.
Investments and Priorities
Planned investments in infrastructure and urban projects will total 753 million euros. Including contributions from municipal companies, the sum rises to 862 million. The budget reflects agreements between the socialists and ERC representatives, including a 30% increase in funding for housing programs.
The Comuns party, which supported the budget during the committee stage, abstained in the final vote. Party representatives cited a lack of ambition on housing issues as the reason. Nevertheless, they supported the tax changes proposed by city authorities together with ERC.
Political Context
The city administration does not hold an absolute majority on the council. This forced Collboni to use a vote of confidence as a tool to secure the budget’s passage. The opposition was unable to unite and present an alternative government, allowing the budget to pass automatically.
When it came to the tax changes, the Socialists secured support from both ERC and the Comunes. However, consensus on the key issues of housing and security funding could not be reached. As a result, the budget was passed without a clear majority, sparking debate among politicians and experts.
Looking Ahead
Barcelona authorities do not rule out resorting to another budget extension in the future if they are unable to reach an agreement with the opposition. The next financial plan to be approved within the current term is scheduled for 2027. It is possible that the city could see a repeat of the current scenario then as well.
Barcelona residents are now waiting to see how the new measures will impact their daily lives. Particular attention is focused on the rollout of housing construction and affordability programs, as well as the effectiveness of the new initiatives to improve safety on the city’s streets.
