The initiative, promoted by Mayor Jaume Collboni and presented by the Councilor for Commerce, Raquel Gil, aims to preserve local businesses against the real estate and tourism boom. The proposal asks the Spanish Government to modify the Urban Leases Law (LAU) and the Generalitat to create a new right of pre-emption and redemption instrument for strategic premises.
ERC and Comuns supported the measure, despite disagreeing with the socialist formula, while Junts, the PP, and Vox rejected it, considering it "interventionist." The employers' association Barcelona Oberta also expressed disagreement with "regulation" as a solution.
Councilor Raquel Gil defended the measure as a commitment to the "defense of local commerce, unique shops, and traditional establishments" as identity elements of the neighborhoods. The goal is to prevent commercial homogenization and the loss of local landmarks.
The debate on regulating commercial rents is not new, as in 2024 ERC had already presented a similar proposition that was approved in the Economy Commission with the support of PSC and Comuns.
