ERC and Comuns influence 893 million of the budget, 1.8% of the total

BarcelonaAfter almost three months of budget negotiation, ERC and Comuns have managed to commit 893 million euros from the 2026 budget, 1.8% of the Generalitat's total spending of 49,162 million euros. Broadly speaking, however, the main figures of the accounts that the Minister of Economy, Alícia Romero, brought to Parliament this Friday are the same as in February: 49,162 million euros in budget spending, 4,146 million in investments, and 329.6 million in deficit (0.1% of GDP). Even the dossier presented as a summary of the project approved by the executive council this same Friday has been practically identical to the one from February. Where do these 893 million come from, then?

On the one hand, the initial accounts had a reserve of 360 million euros specifically for political negotiation with ERC. Commitments with the Republicans are for several years to come, but some already need budgetary allocation this year, such as the additional 21 million agreed for the Tax Agency. On the other hand, there are approximately 530 million euros more that are expected to reach the coffers of the Generalitat thanks to the good performance of the economy. Formally, the Generalitat does not include them in the Budgets: they are resources that were not initially accounted for, even though there were already indications that they would be. In practice, therefore, Salvador Illa's government anticipates that the Generalitat's spending for 2026 will be 49,692 million (49,162 + 530).

The three-way pact between the Government, ERC and Comuns has 2030 as its horizon. Until then, it plans to mobilize 4,693 million euros in the next four years —which already includes the 893 million of this 2026—, even though the legislature will run out at the latest in 2028.

The impact of the 893 million

Salvador Illa's Government has detailed which departments will receive the 893 million from the pact with ERC and Comuns to be executed this year, but not which specific policies they will address, such as health, education, or housing.

The Ministry of Health will see its budget grow the most, with an additional 251 million euros; followed by Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, with 203 million, and Education, with 135 million. However, we do not know what actions each Department will allocate the extra funds it will receive now compared to February. The Government alleged this Friday that it has not been able to prepare the information because the agreements are very recent and that it will make them public in the parliamentary appearance of the ministries.

Three months later, the Executive maintains that Health policies (which are not necessarily to be executed by the Ministry of the same name) will receive 24.7% of the funds —13,497 million— and Education 17.1% —9,363 million—. Housing policies continue to have a budget of 1,900 million, even though this area has been the focus of much of the negotiations with ERC and Comuns and has dominated the headlines of the agreements. And, Security and emergencies, 2,181 million, still without including the increase in Mossos agents agreed upon in the bilateral meeting between the Generalitat and the Spanish government this week.

291M€ more in education than last year

The conflict between the Generalitat and the teachers has become entrenched, and the budgets were seen as a way to rectify the situation. However, the accounts do not foresee any increase in spending to meet the demands of the teachers, even though the Ministry of Economy assures that there would be room to redirect current allocations if a new agreement were to be reached. For now, the Department of Education has budgeted 291 million more for this year than it executed (i.e., spent) last year.

The accounts that Romero has brought to Parliament this Friday amount to 8,491 million euros in spending that will go to the department, although the Generalitat has not specified where the 135 million euros that, in theory, correspond to the agreements reached with its parliamentary partners will go. In total, the Generalitat's educational policies —which go beyond the department's spending— amount to 9,363 million, exactly the same figure that the executive budgeted in the project presented in February.

With the mechanisms to gather the resources to allocate to agreements with ERC and the Comuns, the Government is left without back-up resources to face situations such as a possible agreement with the teachers, who are demanding, among other things, 500 euros more in monthly salary. Romero has assured that the three parties —the socialists, the republicans, and those of Jessica Albiach— are "willing to give up something" from their pacts "for the benefit of the agreement with the teachers." "A budget is alive, it is flexible, and we make many budgetary modifications throughout the year. If there is an agreement, we will have to make adjustments," explained the minister.