‘Constitutionalist’ group claims 80% of Catalan city halls lack Spanish flag

The self-proclaimed “constitutionalist” and “anti-nationalist" group Impulso Ciudadano claims in a new report that 80% of Catalan city hall buildings do not display the Spanish flag, according to 2024 data.

Specifically, the group states that 763 city halls are not flying the Spanish flag, and in 381 municipalities, the official Catalan red-and-yellow Senyera flag is also absent.

Furthermore, the group reports that in 97 municipalities, the pro-independence red, yellow, and blue Estelada flag is displayed, while 62 others feature “other nationalist symbols.”

Overall, only 160 out of 947 city halls across Catalonia “fully comply with the law” and display both the Spanish and Catalan flags, with “no nationalist symbols on the façades.”

Ruling against “unofficial flags” and symbols

In 2018, Catalonia’s Supreme Court ruled that hanging an independence flag from a city hall building in Sant Cugat del Vallès violated the principle of institutional neutrality, as the flag was deemed “obviously partisan.” 

This ruling was later challenged at the Spanish Supreme Court, which in 2020 issued a judgment prohibiting the display of “unofficial” flags on public buildings. The court argued that it was “incompatible with the constitutional framework” and “the duty of objectivity and neutrality of the public administrations.” 

Former Catalan president Quim Torra was also sentenced to 18 months political disqualification and a large fine after failing to remove yellow ribbon signs and other pro-independence signs during an electoral campaign. Although he appealed, the courts upheld the verdict and disqualified him for 15 more months.

The initial lawsuit against Torra was filed by Impulso Ciudadano, the authors of the new report.