David Bondia will remain as Síndic de Barcelona for another five years. The city council backed his reappointment, with only PP abstaining and Vox voting against. The process highlighted ongoing debates over the role and selection of the city ombudsman.
Barcelona's city council has confirmed David Bondia for a second term as Síndic de Barcelona, extending his mandate as the city's ombudsman for another five years. The decision, made during a plenary session, saw broad political support, with only the Partido Popular (PP) abstaining and Vox voting against. Bondia, who has held the position since 2021 and is recognized for his expertise in civic and human rights, will now serve until 2031, as the next appointment will coincide with municipal elections, effectively lengthening his term.
The reappointment followed a competitive selection process, where Bondia faced jurist Gemma Calvet. Bondia received 2,064 individual endorsements and backing from 25 organizations, while Calvet secured 643 individual votes and support from six entities. The majority of council members praised Bondia's previous work, though the session also exposed ongoing disagreements about the ombudsman's role and the selection process.
First Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet expressed confidence in Bondia's commitment to defending citizens' rights, while Junts' Jordi Martí supported the reappointment but called for greater accountability from the Síndic. Marc Serra of Barcelona en Comú highlighted the need for a bold ombudsman, and ERC's Rosa Suriñach described Bondia's project as solid and deserving of continued support. In contrast, PP's Sonia Devesa argued for deeper civil society involvement in the selection process and criticized the current appointment system, while Vox's Gonzalo de Oro Pulido questioned the necessity of the institution itself, labeling it a duplication of existing ombudsman roles and criticizing its budget allocation.
After the vote, Bondia stated his intention to seek more resources to increase the office's impact and rejected criticisms from PP and Vox, emphasizing the value of the participatory process. He noted that, despite public opposition, regular meetings with Vox representatives continue behind closed doors.
The selection process included a public voting phase on the digital platform decidim.barcelona, open to residents over 16 and registered organizations, with physical voting points set up across all ten city districts. Bondia's first term was marked by a focus on mediation in major city disputes, such as the Casa Orsola eviction case, and by highlighting issues like homelessness, strained social services, and delays in municipal registration procedures.
Beyond his local role, Bondia serves as president of the Alianza Global del Ombudsperson Local (AGOL) and has previously led the Institut de Drets Humans de Catalunya (IDHC) and the Catalan Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (MCPT). He has participated in international missions with the European Union, AECID, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations Development Programme. Bondia is also a tenured professor of Public International Law and International Relations at the University of Barcelona.
Ombudsman institutions like the Síndic de Barcelona play a key role in mediating between citizens and local authorities, addressing complaints, and promoting transparency. In Spain, both local and regional ombudsmen exist alongside the national Defensor del Pueblo, sometimes leading to debates about overlapping responsibilities. The participatory selection process in Barcelona reflects ongoing efforts to involve residents in local governance, though the recent council session shows that questions about the scope, funding, and independence of such institutions remain contentious.
