The websites Contractes.cat and Subvencions.cat have simplified the Transparency Portal data. Findings show the Barcelona City Council received 501 million euros over the last decade. In 2025 alone, the regional government granted nearly 5 billion euros in various subsidies.
New platforms like Menjòmetre have added a layer of interpretation by comparing subsidies to the cost of hiring doctors or building parks. This 'data-driven' approach has been embraced by political groups such as Aliança Catalana and Junts to question public spending efficiency and the role of NGOs.
“"Data is never neutral. The moment you represent the world through data, you are making an ideological choice."
The Catalan Data Protection Authority is currently investigating a leak of personal information exposed by these tools. Meanwhile, legal experts from the University of Barcelona argue that while transparency is vital for democracy, the government must make public information more attractive and easier to understand.
