The Biannual Barometer draws on data collected through phone interviews with 800 Barcelona residents eligible to vote in municipal elections. This survey is a part of the Sociological Studies Plan (PES), with fieldwork conducted from 25 November to 4 December 2024.

Results are positive when it comes to the assessment of municipal management: 57.6% of respondents approve and rate it as normal, good, or very good, as opposed to 36.9%, who have a negative opinion. The City Council is the highest-rated institution and the only one with a positive balance, though the improved perception of the Generalitat in recent months is also worth noting.

46.4% believe the city’s economic situation has improved, however 36.4% think their household finances are worse off. Still, 42% are optimistic that their household finances will improve in the upcoming year.

Access to housing, a growing problem

Security is still the primary concern for citizens, with 28.9% of responses, while housing access has grown greatly, rising up to second place, with 28.8 % of responses, reflecting an increase of over 12 points in just six months. Cleanliness (5.4%) and tourism (5%) are ranked third and fourth, though trailing by a significant margin.

Due to its importance, the Barometer includes a series of specific questions on this issue. 94.3% of respondents agree that Barcelona faces housing problems, with 68.8% deeming it a very serious issue. On a personal level, housing costs are a major problem for 35.3% of respondents, are manageable for 18.8%, and pose no issue for 45.8% of them.

When it comes to living arrangements, 34.1% of respondents rent their homes, while 56% own their properties. This ownership figure is divided even further between those still paying a mortgage (22.4%) and those who have already paid it off (33.5%). To add to that, 7.5% live in donated or inherited housing and 1.3% pay for shared rooms or spaces.

Citizens have criticised the response of different administrations regarding this issue: the City Council has the least negative rating, with a score of 3.5, compared to 3.3 for the Generalitat and 2.9 for the Spanish Government. Moreover, 76.9% of respondents believe political parties have a sworn duty to reach agreements on major issues affecting the people of Barcelona.

On an end note, respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of various proposed measures to tackle the issue. The promotion of public housing received the highest support (8), followed by limiting tourist accommodation (7.6) and regulating rental prices (7.4). The generating of subsidies or grants to help young people move out was rated at 6.9, while assistance for economically vulnerable groups got a 6.5 rating. Promoting private sector involvement in housing construction and renovation got a 6.1 score.

Assessment of Political Leaders

The considerable leadership changes across various political parties have led to a relatively high degree of unfamiliarity with each organisation’s current leaders, with the exception of Mayor Jaume Collboni, who is very well known. The ratings for municipal group leaders are as follows:

• Jaume Collboni (PSC): 4.8
• Elisenda Alamany (ERC): 4.9
• Jordi Martí Galbis (Trias×BCN-Junts): 4.8
• Janet Sanz (BComú): 4.3
• Daniel Sirera (PP): 3.3
• Gonzalo de Oro-Pulido (Vox): 2.4

The voting intention for the PSC stands at 14.4%, 2.5 points higher than the results achieved in the 2023 elections. Meanwhile, the rest of the parties show a clear decline: BComú (8.7%), ERC (5.8%), Trias×BCN-Junts (5.7%), CUP (3.8%), PP (2.4%), and Vox (1.1%).