Conducted by the Municipal Data Office (OMD), the seventh survey of this type by Barcelona City Council entailed face-to-face interviews with 1,500 people between the ages of 16 and 75. The interviews were held between 18 November and 23 December 2021.

People’s satisfaction at their own lives produced an average score of 7.9 (out of 10).  The most important aspects of life for people in Barcelona were, in this order: family, personal development, studies as a means of personal growth, friends, work and free time.

The social issues which cause the most concern are unemployment, labour conditions and social exclusion (poverty, inequality).

In terms of values, equality stands out and rises to almost the same percentage as freedom, at 73.3% and 74.7% respectively, ahead of security (39.1%) and privacy (12.3%).

Those surveyed unanimously reject violence, war and corporal punishment for children, while the majority believe we live in a violent society. Regarding the death sentence, while the majority still oppose this, the percentage fell from 70% to 65%.

Mainly progressive society

The growing support for feminism is confirmed, rising to 72% compared to 56% in 2014. The results also show, particularly among the women surveyed, a progressive awareness regarding discrimination suffered by women in the spheres of work and the family.

The survey also reflects a better perception of immigration, with just 5.9 maintaining that the presence of migrants has a negative impact. In contrast, eight out of ten surveyed believe they contribute to economic development, and 81.7% consider it better for a country if people of different customs and traditions live there.

Awareness of animal rights has also increased. Animal rights movements come out in first place (92.7%), above ecology and pacifist movements.

Regarding religion, the percentage of people who are non-believers or agnostic has risen from 18.1% to 54.7% in the last 25 years.

Distrust of politicians, institutions and the media

The survey shows that most people in Barcelona identify with left-wing politics, yet it also shows that people are increasingly detached from politics, with 57.5% of those surveyed having little or no interest in it.

Trust for political parties has also dipped, with 90.9% of people stating they have little or no trust in them. The other institutions which people in Barcelona trust the least are the monarchy, the church, banks, large companies and the central government.

The media continues to lose credibility in the spheres of the press and television alike. Also worth noting is the increased distrust in social media, at 84.9%, compared to 61.8% in 2014.

More hope in science and more protection for the planet

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen people in Barcelona become more confident in science and technology as ways of improving people’s lives now and in the future. At the same time, there is a conviction that this will lead to job losses.

Those surveyed gave priority (75%) to the environment over economic growth (21%). The results show consensus over the need for urgent action on climate change, with 71.7% stating urgent measures must be taken and everything possible must be done.

See all the data from the Values Survey 2021.