Sant Feliu, the Catalan Municipality That Depicts the Failure of Erc and Comuns

ERC and Comuns have been part of the governments that in recent years have led to the degradation of Catalonia and Barcelona. Esquerra, as the ruling party in the Generalitat, and Comuns, after eight years governing in Barcelona. Their management has been marked by the migration and security crisis, the collapse of public services and skyrocketing housing prices.

Sant Feliu de Llobregat, a town of 50,000 inhabitants on the outskirts of Barcelona, is a small-scale reproduction of the failure of left-wing policies.

ERC and Sant Feliu en Comú agreed in 2019 to govern together and "open a new era of progress" in the city. Their time in municipal government resulted in an economic hole, soaring insecurity and a handful of unfulfilled promises. PSC regained the mayoralty four years later, in 2023.

Upon taking office, Lourdes Borrell presented an audit warning of the disastrous economic situation in the city council. The report pointed out "an abusive use of the treasury surplus until it was practically empty". 

The new government implemented a tough adjustment plan to clean up the accounts. After having managed to reverse the situation, PSC has just announced an investment of two million to rehabilitate the city.

The Great Leap Forward of Sant Feliu

Millorem Sant Feliu is a shock plan aimed at reversing the failed policies of ERC and Comuns. It foresees actions in public space, facilities, employment, social policies and economic development. "The city needs to be modernized," said the mayor, "there hasn't been good maintenance."

The city is awaiting the completion of the train track burial works, scheduled for 2026. After forty years of waiting, its completion must serve as the beginning of the great urban transformation. New housing and facilities are being planned in a finally unified city.

From there, Sant Feliu must become a new hub of wealth and prosperity in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Meanwhile, the new shock plan's mission is to rehabilitate the city after years of neglect. It includes the repair of asphalt and sidewalks, maintenance and replacement of street furniture, and thorough cleaning of parks.

More Security

In the 2023 municipal elections in Sant Feliu, ERC lost 1,531 votes and one councilor. Comuns were the most punished, with 2,000 votes and two fewer councilors. One of the main reasons was the degradation of security in the city.

According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, Sant Feliu de Llobregat was the municipality in the metropolitan belt where crime increased the most in the first half of 2023. In just one year, crime had skyrocketed by 23%. An alarming level compared to surrounding cities like Molins de Rei (14%), Cornella (11%), Sant Boi (2%) and Sant Vicenç dels Horts (1%).

Robberies with violence and intimidation (128%) and sexual assaults (100%) increased the most. This increased the perception of insecurity among residents, who clearly pointed to ERC and Comuns as responsible.

To reverse the situation, the new municipal government has announced improvements in street lighting and the installation of surveillance cameras. Surveillance will be reinforced in the most problematic areas and the neighborhoods bordering other towns like Sant Just Desvern, Collserola and Molins de Rei.