Unlike many countries in the world, such as the United States or Italy, our capital is the nerve center of national politics, and everything that happens here marks the beginning of future struggles and follies. There are still many months until the 2027 municipal elections, but the party machines are already starting to exercise their boisterousness and, in turn, the second wave of the municipal barometer has certified some already intuited data, such as that the future of the city - and also of the country - will be decided between the attempt at autonomous pax promoted by the PSC and Aliança Catalana's ability to neutralize it. Despite not taking much advantage of the glamour that the mayor's office offers, Jaume Collboni consolidates himself as the best-known municipal leader with the highest rating, but with a simple pass (5.2). As for orriolism, the national demographic trend would be confirmed with 3.9% of direct voting intention, partly thanks to the partial decline of Junts per Catalunya (3.4%).
The apparently calm triumph of the PSC has its nuances; on the one hand, the majority of fellow citizens (55%) consider that the city has worsened during 2025, although they also say they believe that the current government team has done a very good job (45.7%) or a normal-regular job (16.2%). These data perfectly translate the political profile of Mayor Collboni, a leader who has not shared a clear idea about what direction Barcelona should take but who, surpassing Ada Colau's capacity for day-to-day management and public order, already has enough to continue floating through the world. In turn, Collboni has benefited from my independentist co-religionists giving him competitors of the caliber of Elisenda Alamany, a politician with a depth equivalent to her dreadful Instagram promotional videos, or Jordi Martí Galbis, a good lad and notable councilor who, despite what the barometers say, is not even known in his own home.
In short, the only interesting aspect of the current dynamic in Barcelona is the enigma of the approach that Sílvia Orriols will propose in the capital. For now, the leader of Aliança calmed the Barcelonan waters by initiating herself in the art of lying, stating that she already had a very attractive candidate in mind. The matter is far from being real, and proof of this is that her party has had to deny possible mayoral candidates that someone (including themselves) had floated as a trial balloon. Although problems associated with immigration are already the fourth reason for concern among citizens (at a meager 6% of respondents), Orriols knows that Barcelona is not Manlleu or Banyoles, and that the phenomenon of immigration - and difference, in general - always tends to fade in a more urban environment. Barcelona does not ask for motivated peasants, nor opportunistic brothers-in-law because, despite the bad times, we have not yet gone completely crazy.
"For now, there are 55% of Barcelonans awaiting a motivating proposal"Beyond such an important aspect as the candidate, I would say that Aliança could open up an important space in Barcelona if it presented a team of people truly hurt by the decadence of a nation's capital and, while we're at it, with recipes to revive it that go beyond mantras like "quality tourism" or "sustainable mobility." This would require a candidate who could explain to the citizenry that the country's capital can only subsist if it de-Castilianizes and commits to recovering the Catalan Barcelona, which is, in turn, the authentic capital of the Mediterranean. Jaume Collboni will easily be able to counteract a semi-convergent mayoral candidate, one of those who rattle off many figures about security or who put on a pitiful face when they bore you with housing problems (ugh). On the contrary, he would have a very tough time against some guy or gal who connects the future of the city with its deepest history.
The battle for Barcelona begins right now because the country is also not entirely happy with a national government that hides behind the efficiency of a management agency and is content with the aesthetics of pujolejar. It will be interesting to see who dares not to adapt to this imposed peace after the times of 155 and also has enough strength to get dirty with our problems, avoiding that everlasting little voice and pose of trying to please everyone and not anger anyone. An interesting year awaits us, dear Barcelonians, and although the landscape seems to move little... the underground currents are already starting to fer bullir l'olla. For now, 55% of Barcelonians are waiting for a motivating proposal. We shall see.