Barcelona's budget passes first stage after Socialists strike deal with ERC and BComú

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni's budget has passed its first stage with the support of the pro-independence Esquerra (ERC) and anti-austerity Comuns.

The accounts needed a simple majority - more votes in favor than against - to move forward, and were voted on Tuesday during an extraordinary Economic Committee meeting.

Esquerra spokesperson Jordi Castellana, who voted in favor of the budget, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement with the Socialists.

"We understand that our role is to put all our capacity at the service of the people of Barcelona, and that means taking risks, stepping out of the comfort zone," he said.

Despite voting in favor, Comuns, the party of former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, warned Collboni that they will vote against the budget unless he forms a coalition government within thirty days.

"We will give them one last chance and allow the processing of the 2024 budget, but it is not a result of their efforts," said Janet Sanz, spokesperson for BComú.

The budgets will be put to a final vote in a plenary session scheduled for March.