Is Albiol's Badalona the PP's laboratory for far-right policies?

BarcelonaXavier García Albiol swept the 2023 municipal elections under the slogan "Badalonismo," an umbrella term for defending residents "regardless of ideology." He then captured pro-independence voters and from left-wing parties, with dirt and insecurity as key issues. Two years later, the mayor is already influencing Catalan and Spanish politics with episodes related to security, immigration, and illegal employment, including clashes with the national government. The latest and most controversial, the eviction of B9Occupied by 400 people. Is Badalona a laboratory for the PP or a showcase? Has Albiol radicalized his discourse in a context of rising far-right extremism?

Albiol has the full support of the national leadership on Génova Street in Madrid, as Alberto Núñez Feijóo has statedwho, like Albiol, has used the term "inhumane" to refer to the Spanish government's immigration policy—which they say allows the entry of illegal immigrants who then become homeless. All the PP sources consulted by ARA emphasize that internal support for the Albiol formula is massive, both in Catalonia and Madrid, and also confirm that it will allow them to "do well" electorally, at least in the city. Denying any accusations of "racism" made by left-wing parties, some PP voices consider it an electoral "showcase." It is worth remembering that the PP has presented a migration plan hardening its stance And that Albiol presided over the party's state congress, of which he is also president of the mayors' committee.

Sources within the Badalona PP emphasize that, although it may not be the intention, what Albiol does becomes a "showcase," because he is the mayor of Catalonia's fourth largest city. "He is a figure with significant political and media impact," they point out, which allows them to "highlight" the project to improve security, combat illegal employment, and promote their position on immigration.

The laboratory thesis

The opposition's portrayal of the mayor of Badalona, however, is quite different. Some believe that the People's Party (PP) has used Badalona as a "laboratory" for more extreme rhetoric from the very beginning, starting with his time as a councilor in the opposition to the Socialist municipal government. "It was 2007, and the ravages of the economic crisis and the influx of non-EU immigrants were already evident. He dedicated himself to visiting the poorest neighborhoods and channeling the discontent," explains a source who knew him at that time. Later, he launched an offensive against mosques and the celebration of Ramadan in the streets, even prohibiting large-scale prayer gatherings. "If anyone is okay with that, all they have to do is give me their home address, and I'll send them to pray at their doorstep," he quipped in 2012, during his first term. He also sparked several controversies with the Romanian Roma population—accusing them of coming to the city to "steal" and distributing pamphlets against them—which he then touted during the 2015 "Cleaning Up Badalona" campaign. The "Badalonismo" campaign, according to several opposition sources, was an attempt to erase that past and appeal to a broader, more moderate audience.

According to complaints from left-wing groups in Badalona, Mayor Albiol has continued to turn his back on vulnerable groups, with measures such as the closure of the Can Bofí Vell municipal shelter in 2024 and the soup kitchen. The mayor also Flag of the eviction of eight vulnerable families in a building on Calderón de la Barca street, whom he accused of being squatters, "criminals and uncivilized".

For the opposition, the B9 incident has allowed more people to see what theirs has always been. modus operandi"We see that he's a racist and a Spanish nationalist, but many people don't," says one opposition councilor. "He's very active on social media. With all this, he's competing with Vox," says another. The left-wing front against Albiol formed an alternative government, first with Dolors Sabater, between 2015 and 2018, and then Àlex Pastor, between 2018 and 2020. The motion of no confidence against Albiol because of the scandal of the Pandora papers This temporarily removed her from the mayoralty, which she would regain from Rubén Guijarro (PSC) with an absolute majority in the following elections.

"Woman votes"

Despite denying the laboratory's theory, the Badalona branch of the People's Party (PP) itself acknowledges that Albiol is saying the same thing he always does regarding irregular immigration and insecurity: "against open borders." They also note that he has already evicted squatters from buildings occupied by native Catalans and that he doesn't care if they are "white or black," as he has stated. But why is he engaging in direct confrontation with the Spanish government? The reason, they suggest, is that "a mayor is the person closest to the citizens, and that's why he appeals to the ministers and the president of the national government on issues like irregular immigration." A Catalan PP leader also comments on the potential political benefits: "What would Vox or Alianza do differently about unemployment?" asks one member, who believes that although this isn't the primary objective, it "can help" keep the two far-right parties in check. In Badalona, ​​in fact, Vox didn't even participate in the last municipal elections—Aliança didn't run. "Within the party, it's viewed very favorably," he concludes. His diagnosis is that "he implements the PP's policies, but also what many people from Junts, Aliança, and PSC mayors think." He adds, "The context has changed; the feeling of insecurity is rising," to assess a possible escalation in Albiol's rhetoric.

Another leader from the party's moderate wing maintains that "Albiol's message on social media is more populist or popular, but the policies are exactly those of the PP." "He's doing what he said he would," concludes another Catalan figure.