Barcelona's latest municipal poll puts Jaume Collboni in the lead, while Junts drops to seventh place. Aliança Catalana, PP, and Vox all surpass Junts. Housing and security remain top concerns for residents.
Barcelona's political landscape is shifting, with the latest municipal barometer for 2026 showing Mayor Jaume Collboni and the PSC ahead in direct voting intention. Junts, which previously held a strong position, now finds itself relegated to seventh place, trailing behind not only traditional rivals but also the far-right Aliança Catalana, PP, and Vox. This marks a dramatic reversal for Junts, whose support has plummeted from 13.5% in the last election to just 2.6% in the current survey.
The poll, based on 800 interviews conducted between May 26 and June 3, places the PSC at 13% in direct voting intention, closely followed by ERC at 11.1%. Barcelona en Comú, once a dominant force, now stands at 4.7%, while Aliança Catalana surprises with 3.3%. The PP and Vox register 3.1% and 2.7% respectively, both ahead of Junts. The CUP rounds out the list with 2.3%. Despite these figures, a significant 45.1% of respondents remain undecided or unwilling to disclose their preference, and 9.8% say they would abstain.
Junts' recent decision to nominate Jordi Martí as its candidate has not reversed its decline. In contrast, Barcelona en Comú, which won the 2015 elections, continues to lose ground. Under new leadership from Gerardo Pisarello, the party's direct voting intention is less than half its 2023 result. The survey also reveals that most residents—30.8%—expect Collboni to remain mayor, with other candidates receiving minimal support in this regard. Elisenda Alamany is seen as a possible alternative by only 0.8%, while Pisarello, Daniel Sirera, and Jordi Martí Galbis each register below 1%.
When asked who they would prefer as mayor, Collboni again leads with 30.8%. However, several figures not expected to run, such as Ada Colau and Xavier Trias, still attract notable support. Colau is the second choice at 3%, followed by Trias at 2.4% and Gabriel Rufián at 2%. Alamany, Pisarello, and Sílvia Orriols also appear in the rankings, though with lower percentages.
Collboni is the most recognized municipal leader, with only 15.8% of respondents unfamiliar with him. In contrast, more than half of those surveyed do not know Pisarello, Alamany, or Sirera, and over 80% are unfamiliar with Jordi Martí Galbis. In terms of approval, Alamany receives the highest average rating at 5.2, just ahead of Collboni (5.1) and Martí Galbis (5). Pisarello falls below the passing mark with 4.7, while Sirera and Gonzalo de Oro-Pulido score 3.3 and 2.6 respectively.
Public perception of city management remains divided. Nearly half (48.4%) rate the municipal administration as good or very good, while 35.4% consider it poor or very poor. However, 57.2% believe Barcelona has deteriorated over the past year, with only 22.7% seeing improvement and 16.7% perceiving no change.
Housing access stands out as the most pressing issue for 31% of respondents, followed by security concerns at 26.3%. Immigration-related problems are cited by 7.5%, tourism by 6.9%, and cleanliness by 3.7%. Other concerns include construction works, overcrowding, city model, and lack of civility or education, each mentioned by smaller percentages.
Reflecting the focus on housing, 75% of those surveyed support banning tourist apartments, while 20% oppose such measures. Even stronger backing is seen for regulating commercial rent prices, with 76.4% in favor and only 15.2% against. Limiting 24-hour supermarket openings also garners significant support, with 69% approving and 25.8% opposed.
The rise of Aliança Catalana and Vox in local politics echoes broader trends in Catalonia, as highlighted in a recent analysis of far-right gains in the Catalan Parliament. While the PSC maintains its lead in Barcelona, the fragmentation of the vote and the decline of established parties like Junts and Barcelona en Comú signal ongoing volatility in the city's political scene.
Barcelona's municipal barometer is a key tool for tracking shifts in public opinion and party strength ahead of the next elections. The current data suggest that issues such as housing, security, and urban management will remain central to the political debate. The high percentage of undecided voters and those considering abstention indicates that the final outcome remains far from certain, and party strategies in the coming months could prove decisive. The evolving role of new and far-right parties, as well as the performance of traditional left-wing groups, will be closely watched as the city approaches another electoral cycle.
