The mayor of ERC in Barcelona, Ernest Maragall, has proclaimed this morning that he will not make Ada Colau mayor, “in no case”. "We have come with the pretense of winning, but above all to replace Colau, to put an end to a stage that has already demonstrated its ability to cause damage to the city," the Republican politician commented in the cycle of de interviews Objectiu Barcelona, organized by Barcelona Global and La Vanguardia, at Casa Seat. With forcefulness, the Republican candidate has declared the Colau era over and has predicted that today she foresees a four-way tie, between her party, PSC, Junts and BComú, in the next electoral appointment.
The critical attitude towards Colau has been planned throughout the event, moderated by Enric Sierra, deputy director of La Vanguardia, and in which members of Barcelona Global have raised different questions to the politician. Maragall has shied away from specifying his position on controversial issues, such as the expansion of the airport or cruise ships, and he has claimed to strengthen public-private collaboration.
The ERC candidate has insisted on his opposition to the current superblock model and has criticized the attempt to use the Eixample as a “regulatory instrument for mobility in the metropolitan area. It doesn't work, it has counterproductive effects, it causes gentrification and it alters the city's social network", he underlined while affirming that his party will launch a proposal to reduce traffic in the city, also aware of the imperatives that mark the impact of climate change. In this sense, he has advocated "going deep in the electrification of the taxi fleet." He has also advanced that he will put on the table "an equitable, progressive and citizen-agreed alternative to superblocks."
Mobility and housing are main issues, he has insisted. Every day some 500,000 people enter Barcelona to work and another 150,000 leave, according to the data she has provided. This high flow of movements urges politicians to seek consensus solutions and, above all, promote advances in public transport.
Maragall has promised that if he wins he will put land into operation to solve the housing deficit. "There is a demand that cannot be met, it is urgent to react, we have the instruments, there is land, we have committed to creating homes at the rate of 5,000 a year, a total of 20,000 in the mandate, of which 8,000 are protected" , has pointed out. The veteran candidate has advocated for agreements with the private sector and has advanced that it is necessary to review the clause that provides for builders to reserve 30% of their developments for protected flats.
