The departure of former mayor Ada Colau leaves a significant political void. Since 2015, she served as the crucial link between social movements and institutional governance, defining Barcelona en Comú's transformative discourse.
This political framework has weakened as the PSC (Socialists) effectively occupy the center of the progressive narrative in Barcelona. This mirrors a broader crisis of the street-born left, where the 15-M cycle has exhausted itself, giving way to management politics dominated by the institutional left.
The two main contenders are Gerardo Pisarello, representing the old guard and supported by Colau and Minister Ernest Urtasun, and Enrique Martínez, known as Bob Pop, who offers a strong cultural and media narrative but lacks institutional experience.
The Comuns' intermediate position, lacking a clear profile, is especially delicate with just over a year remaining before the next elections.
Beyond choosing a candidate, Barcelona en Comú must establish a clear strategy for the 2027 elections and redefine its relationship with the PSC government led by Jaume Collboni to avoid becoming irrelevant in the city's political debate.
