Opposition and Government Open Budget Talks
Girona's deputy mayor for finance, Sílvia Aliu (Guanyem), and Junts spokesperson Gemma Geis have agreed to begin negotiations on the city's 2027 budget, marking a shift after Junts left the ruling coalition months ago, leaving Guanyem and ERC in a minority of ten out of 27 council seats. The move follows a motion passed at the October council plenary, tabled by Junts, which calls for the 2027 municipal budget to prioritise protecting residents' purchasing power amid rising living costs. The motion urged both the state and regional government to adjust personal income tax (IRPF) for inflation and asked the current administration to avoid adding further financial pressure on families.
Focus on Middle-Income Households
The Junts motion specifically highlights working families and middle-income earners who fall just above eligibility thresholds for existing municipal aid and tax breaks, despite having seen their savings and spending power significantly eroded. It calls for the 2027 budget to revise access criteria for subsidies and prioritise policies directly impacting household finances, including housing, mobility, childcare, work-life balance, sports, cultural activities, and everyday municipal services. The motion also demands the governing team present a concrete package of measures to safeguard residents' purchasing power during budget discussions. The proposal passed with support from Junts’s six councillors, while all other groups abstained. Councillors from PSC, Vox, and PP questioned why Junts had not raised these issues while still part of the governing coalition.
We would like to know why they didn’t negotiate these points when they were in government. We also don’t fully understand why they’re bringing them now as a motion, and we see a lack of concreteness,
said PSC’s Bea Esporrín.
Shared Ground on Fiscal Policy
Aliu acknowledged that the current administration supports progressive taxation to fund quality public services and shares many of the goals outlined in Junts’s motion. She noted that several priorities were already included in the 2023 three-party governing agreement, which originally included Junts.
In times of noise like these, we must reclaim agreements; therefore, I extend my hand,
responded Gemma Geis, accepting the invitation to negotiate the upcoming budget.
Housing Policy Takes Centre Stage
The plenary also approved two housing-related motions. The first, put forward by the governing team, supports the Sindicat de Llogateres and calls for Catalonia to gain full legislative powers over housing, including rental regulation. It also proposes indefinite leases for primary residences and stricter limits on tourist housing (HUT). This motion passed with votes from Guanyem and ERC, opposed by Junts, Vox, and PP, and with PSC abstaining. Junts called the proposal "opportunistic and populist," while PSC cited disagreements with some of the over twenty measures listed. The second housing motion, from PSC, supports establishing a Housing Emergency Board in Girona, similar to those in Barcelona, Sabadell, and Vic, to coordinate responses to the housing crisis.
Devesa Shelter and Public Toilets Debate
Councillors unanimously approved recovering a disused municipal changing room in la Devesa park, currently occupied by a homeless man who has lived there for four to five years. The space includes makeshift sleeping and cooking areas. Junts and PSC urged the council to find alternative housing for the man. PSC also requested the site be renovated and reopened as public toilets, responding to demands from the la Devesa Neighbourhood Association. Councillor Raquel Robert (Labour and Procurement) said officials are assessing the man’s situation to explore housing alternatives. She acknowledged it was too early to confirm the building’s future use but committed to studying its conversion into public facilities.
Civic Appointments and Election Preparations
The council unanimously reappointed lawyer Marta Alsina as Ombudsman for a further five-year term. All parties praised her impartiality and willingness to challenge the administration when necessary since her appointment in 2021. Additionally, two budget amendments were approved to prepare for the early general election on Sunday 29 November 2026. A sum of €27,645.58 will cover election-related services, while €45,354.42 will fund productivity bonuses for municipal staff involved in organising the vote. Girona will host 105 polling stations on election day, one more than in the previous general election.
Reported by Gerio.
