The segregation request by Bellaterra, the area with the highest per capita income in Cerdanyola, has escalated into a political spat between the two Vallès Occidental municipalities. Cerdanyola Mayor Carlos Cordón (PSC) labeled Sant Cugat's actions as "disloyal" on January 12 for submitting a favorable annexation report without prior consultation, communicating the decision via a WhatsApp message.
This tension led the Cerdanyola government to temporarily suspend negotiations for a new agreement with the Decentralized Municipal Entity (EMD) of Bellaterra, which began in November 2024. This agreement aimed to triple the municipal contribution (currently 573,000 euros annually) and expand the EMD's self-governance powers.
“"A hypothetical segregation of Bellaterra would create a dangerous precedent in Catalonia, as it would open the possibility for territories to group exclusively based on their economic income."
Despite disagreements with Sant Cugat, all political groups in Cerdanyola unanimously voted on December 18 for an institutional declaration defending the municipality's territorial integrity. The Cerdanyola City Council expects to finalize the segregation and annexation file in March, with the final decision from the Generalitat de Catalunya anticipated after the summer.
Municipal spokespersons criticized the handling of the conflict. Íñigo García de Enterría (ERC) regretted that the debate was turning into an institutional quarrel, while Pedro Arco Montalbán (En Comú Podem) defined the segregation demand as a "classist" position based on contributory capacity.
