Can Catalonia once again lead Spain economically?

BarcelonaPresident Isla has stated the desire for Catalonia to regain economic leadership in SpainBeyond being a necessary and priority objective, some nuances should be made to avoid falling into catastrophism or frustration.

First, it's worth remembering that Madrid has gained economic weight within Spain as a whole (from 17.5% of GDP in 2000 to 19.6% in 2023) because it has absorbed economic activity from other regions, such as Castile and León and the Valencian Community. However, this has not been at the expense of Catalonia, which has maintained its share of Spanish GDP at a virtually constant 19% since 2000.

Secondly, although they are often compared, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid are very different realities. Catalonia is an autonomous community with a population spread across four provinces, a much larger territory, and more rural areas, while Madrid is a single-province community more concentrated around its capital.

For a more accurate economic comparison, we should consider the metropolitan region (or the province of Barcelona), since this urban center is where most of Catalonia's economic activity is concentrated and is more comparable to Madrid's economy. The province of Barcelona has 5.9 million inhabitants, while the Community of Madrid has 6.9 million, figures that are closer than if we compare the entirety of Catalonia (8 million) with the Community of Madrid. This comparison provides a more nuanced account of the loss of economic leadership.

The economic models of the metropolitan areas of Barcelona and Madrid are very different and therefore difficult to compare. While the Madrid model is based on the financial sector, consulting, and regulated sectors ("the BOE economy"), the Barcelona model is more oriented toward exports, innovation, industry, and technology. The data demonstrate this. Catalonia accounts for 26% of exports (Madrid 13%) and 24% of manufacturing (Madrid only 9%). R&D spending by companies is equally divided (Catalonia and Madrid each account for 27%), but Catalonia has a greater share of technological entrepreneurship, while large companies in the telecommunications sector are located in Madrid. Therefore, in international rankings, Barcelona appears ahead of Madrid in terms of attracting digital talent, attracting foreign technological investment, and patents in the field. biotech and scientific production. According to Startup Heatmap Europe, Barcelona is, for the sixth consecutive year, the third most popular city in Europe, after London and Berlin, to locate a new start-upThe success of the Mobile World Congress reinforces Barcelona's strong position in the European digital ecosystem year after year. Few territories have the winning combination of being an industrial, diversified, and export-oriented economy, while also having a powerful digital hub.

In conclusion, it is necessary to continue supporting an economic model unique to Catalonia and Barcelona, ​​without becoming complacent or making misleading comparisons. The return of the headquarters of major banks and companies to Catalonia is a good sign of the confidence and economic prospects generated by our economy. But it is also necessary to address the bottlenecks that prevent the full development of our economic potential: excessive bureaucracy and regulation, the poor quality of the commuter rail service, with a lack of investment accumulated over decades, and the public funding deficit that prevents, among other things, the ability to compete fiscally with Madrid or strengthen the welfare state. Catalonia's future is being written now, and it is time to do so by committing to political stability and sound management of public policies.