Jaume Collboni arrives tomorrow at 100 days as mayor of Barcelona. His investiture in extremis has given way to the beginning of his mandate where he has wanted to demonstrate a change in the City Council, while he works to reissue the tripartite agreement with BComú and ERC.
How do you rate these first 100 days?
A notable one. With all the humility and effort of a magnificent team of people who accompany me. He was very clear about his three priorities: order, giving opportunities and recovering pride. And that the government had to get on with it, despite the arithmetic. We can be happy enough, without pride, with a lot of humility, being very aware that the level of demand from citizens on issues such as public space and security is very high and we had to give quick responses.
He wanted it to be noted that there was a new mayor. Did the previous one do so badly?
There was a clear and forceful demand from citizens that basic everyday issues had to be fixed or corrected. Cleanliness and safety always appeared in surveys as topics of greatest concern. And I always said that I would make the concerns of the people of Barcelona my main occupations. Therefore, the first thing we did was organize the city with an extraordinary plan that will be developed in six or ten months depending on the results and that is beginning to bear fruit. We have also reinforced the police presence to enforce ordinances and ensure that activity in public spaces is legal. The great pending subject that I am determined to work on starting in January is civility and the need that once the City Council has done its job, it is up to all citizens to make this new stage their own with respect to public space and recover civility as a hallmark of the people of Barcelona. It should not be seen as an imposition or repression, but as a sign of civility, solidarity and sharing what is common. In this sense, then, war on uncivility and war on the uncivil.
Will there be more sanctions?
More sanctions and awareness of the lot of money it costs in the city. We spend a million euros a day on cleaning. It is an issue of consensus and in the commissions so far several proposals have come out to make city pacts. That’s what Barcelona needs. Great agreements and dialogue. Because what is revolutionary today in politics is dialogue and agreement. As mayor I want to create the conditions, the spaces, the spirit of the city, so that dialogue, agreement, and consensus once again become a daily reality in our city because it is the spirit of coexistence.
Will this willingness to agree translate into a stable government pact? With who?
My commitment is to guarantee that the city has budgets so that it does not stop and achieve the stability of the institution. We are working to allow the budget to be processed in the Economy Commission on October 1. I have been invested mainly by a left-wing party (BComú) and the tradition of my party and the mayors who have governed the city has been to form coalitions of progress that have given excellent results. There is a majority mandate from the city: 24 councilors (PSC, BComú and ERC) who have voted for progressive options. Therefore, in the first instance, my will is to articulate this progressive majority and, in no case, exclude the other great party that is Junts to guarantee governability or to reach great agreements. It won’t be left for us.
But Ada Colau and Xavier Trias have told him that one or the other and the discarded one will go to the opposition.
There are parties that exclude each other. I can understand it when it comes to a government agreement, but I would not understand it when talking about specific things, such as large priority investments in public transportation or housing where I am convinced that all groups will agree. It’s also the mayor’s job to do it. I do not renounce this revolutionary idea of ??dialogue with everyone, except with the extreme right, and seek great city agreements. This dynamic would have to permeate all politics in Catalonia and Spain.
What will he say to the people who wanted change when he incorporates the former mayor into his government?
The change has occurred because we have a new mayor. The change has been perceived in the public space. The change is noticeable in the normalization of institutional relations at all levels, with the Government of the Generalitat, with the Parliament of Catalonia, with the Government of Spain, with the head of State. In favor of the city. I feel like mayor of the whole world, whether they voted for me or not.
What did he ask the King?
Entering a stage of institutional normality is good news. I have to be discreet about the conversations but I believe that the head of state can have a role that benefits the city. He can help us with concrete things and I hope that is the case.
I ask him again what he will say to voters who may feel disappointed if he forms a government with the commons.
That we will have the key to governance. We have started by organizing public space, providing more security, guaranteeing access to housing as a formula for equal opportunities, as well as our commitment to the fight against climate change. Obviously, if the Government is expanded, proposals, sensitivities and ideas will have to be incorporated because that is what coalitions are. However, in essence, we are showing the cards of where the city government will go. And above all, I believe that no one who voted for us did so to go against anyone. And we will maintain that. We are not here to govern against anyone or against any party nor to make a complete amendment to Mrs. Colau’s era.
You disagree with Colau on aspects such as the expansion of the airport, the brake on new green axes or the management of tourism, among others. Will you give in on these issues to facilitate the entry of the commons?
My positions on these issues are clear. Another thing is how we reconcile it with an eventual coalition. In fact, we were in a coalition and we had different positions. And that with a coalition, with a mature democratic system, happens.
In the aforementioned issues it seems that his theses are closer to those defended by Xavier Trias.
That is why I say that I cannot exclude important agreements with Junts, because indeed with some of these points we have more agreement. And for that reason, I am not closed to agreements with Junts.
Are you also not closed to a government pact with Trias?
I don’t exclude it. We’ll see how things evolve. But our aspiration and priority are to articulate a left-wing and progressive government.
And if Colau gives him trouble, will he seek support from Trias?
We’ll see, I hope that’s not the case. Although I think there are things that we also have to agree with Junts.
Will we see the government agreement in Barcelona before approving the budgets?
We are not in a hurry because we want to do things well. It is not a strategic delay but rather it has to do with thinking things through, so that everyone knows what role they want to play and what they have to play and in this sense an agreement of this nature cannot be improvised. Mrs. Colau spent a year governing alone in her first term. My first desire is to articulate a progressive majority. It is not that it depends on 2 (PSC-BComú), it is that it depends on 3 (ERC) and each one has their points of view and their rhythms. But I am optimistic about what we can achieve. When? We will see.
The Commons criticize decisions that have been made that reverse actions of the previous government such as the painted area on Pelai Street. Are you afraid that conditions will be placed on you to enter the government that contradict your project?
I don’t know because we haven’t started yet, we haven’t reached this level. But the votes and statements made by all the groups, including the Commons, have been rather of understanding and conciliatory. Obviously, we have taken some action, like Pelai’s, because it had lost its original meaning, but we also defend the non-reversal of the Consell de Cent, which could have been done better. There will be changes and priorities that will change but an agreement is possible.
Is the stage of tactical urbanism over?
Tactical urbanism is not urbanism. Urbanism is transformation, it is expressing with a new organization of public space some principles and values ??that have to be linked to having a more livable city, a city with easier mobility, a decarbonized city that moves towards decarbonization. The tactical actions that are carried out temporarily are not urban planning.
