Colau overthrows the Barcelona Budget and leads Collboni to a question of trust

Cristina Rubio Barcelona

Barcelona

Updated Friday, March 22, 2024-12:31

Ada Colau has overturned the Barcelona Budget agreed between Jaume Collboni's PSC and ERC and is leading the socialist mayor of the Catalan capital to a question of trust. A setback to the first, which forces the councilor to put his position at stake - although no alternative is seen due to the composition of the plenary session - if he wants to carry out the first accounts of the mandate.

The Commons have certified their rejection of the project along with Junts, PP and Vox. That is to say, the municipal government of Collboni had only 15 councilors in favor (of the 41 that the council has) and 26 against, so the accounts have not prospered.

A month ago, Colau facilitated the processing of the Barcelona Budget in exchange for the Executive agreeing with the Commons on a government agreement linked to the accounts: the negotiation has been extended by 30 days, always with the condition of the former mayor of returning to be a protagonist in the Government of Barcelona. A connection that Collboni's PSC has rejected and that has led to today's vote.

"Barcelona will have budgets in spring," the mayor has defended himself, convinced that he will be able to move them forward with the issue of trust. "Mrs. Colau, I have never seen so much irresponsibility together in such a short time. Your attitude has caused the blocking of three budgets of three progressive governments - Government, Generalitat and Barcelona City Council - that had agreements. This attitude of boycott is a serious mistake that "It only benefits the right and the extreme right and only harms the citizens," Collboni snapped in a forceful statement towards the former mayor.

"You have not wanted to explore either of the two possible majorities, neither with Junts nor with us. We cannot ask for more, you are mayor because we voted for you in exchange for nothing," Colau had warned in his turn to speak. "Voting for this budget would be giving a blank check so that tomorrow they will approve measures that go against our political project," he has settled on his rejection of the accounts.

Now, the socialist mayor has called an extraordinary plenary session for March 27 in order to link the accounts to a question of trust. Then, a period of 30 days will open in which an alternative majority can be configured to elect a new mayor: if this majority is not configured, the accounts will be approved automatically. A mechanism that was already used by Xavier Trias - he was the first to take advantage of this trick to get them ahead - and by Ada Colau herself in her previous mandate.