Barcelona mayoral race heats up as PP challenger and Socialdemocratic leader outline platforms

Gerard Alís, the Socialdemocratic party's lead candidate, acknowledges the party's recent electoral defeat and says the first step toward rebuilding is admitting past mistakes. He stresses that the party's programme will remain largely unchanged from four years ago, outlines its pro‑European stance, and calls for a broad left‑wing coalition while ruling out an alliance with the SDP. Alís claims he now has several months to refine the programme and present a credible left alternative.

Meanwhile, PP mayoral candidate Daniel Siera attacks the current municipal administration, blaming former mayor Ada Colau and current mayor Jaume Collboni for rising insecurity, high rents and what he calls a "giant mistake" in tourist taxes. Siera promises to add 1,000 urban guards, cut property taxes by 40%, create 15,300 homes in the 22@ district and adopt a tough stance on drug trafficking, positioning his platform as a security‑ and cost‑focused alternative to the incumbent left‑wing government.