Young people are the most reluctant to pay taxes in Catalonia.

BarcelonaOnly one in four Catalans considers the current level and distribution of taxes to be fair. According to a new survey by the Center for Opinion Studies (CEO), more than half of the population (54%) disapproves of current tax levels, with younger people being the most critical. In contrast, older people are the most supportive. Specifically, the population group most opposed to taxes is men between the ages of 16 and 24: 70% consider them unfair, while only 14% are in favor. In contrast, women over 64 are the most supportive, with 30% voting in favor and 44% criticizing them.

But what tax model do they advocate? The CEO posed a hypothetical situation to all respondents: "Think of two people, one earning twice the salary of the other." Faced with this idea, 49% of Catalans argued that both should pay the same percentage of their income in taxes, while 39% believed that the highest earner should pay more proportionately. Ten percent, however, believe both should pay the same, regardless of their earnings. However, when asked about the tax burden on those with higher incomes, 59% of Catalans believe they pay less than necessary, compared to 14% who believe they pay too much.

The survey also asked Catalans to indicate what tax burden they would set for different income groups, and the results came out below the current levels. Specifically, the general population would set tax obligations as follows: a person earning €10,000 would pay 35%; one earning €4,000, 20%; One earning €2,000 would pay 15%, while another earning €1,200 would pay 6%. According to the data collected, women would be much more in favor of paying higher taxes than men, moving into the highest bracket. In fact, women would make those earning €10,000 pay 40%, while men would set their taxes at 30%. In terms of age, the hardest hit are those over 65, who in the same bracket would be made to pay 50%.

Distributed by party affiliation, those closest to Esquerra Republicana, Comuns, and the CUP would place the tax scale in the same way: those earning €10,000 should pay 40%; those earning €4,000, 25%; If they earn €2,000, it's 15%, and if they earn €1,200, it's 5%. Vox supporters, on the other hand, are those who advocate paying less. Junts and the PSC, on the other hand, believe that those earning €1,200 a month should pay more taxes, at 10% and 8% respectively.

Inheritance taxes, the most criticized tax

Breaking down the country's main taxes one by one, Catalans are particularly critical of one in particular: inheritance tax. 62% of those surveyed believe it would be fair to lower it, while 25% would leave it as it is. Value-added tax (VAT) is the second most criticized: 44% believe it is higher than it should be. Corporate tax, on the other hand, is the one most strongly advocated for raising. Specifically, 36% of the population would welcome an increase in this tax.

Catalans also focus on the effectiveness of public administration in managing the money collected. According to data from this CEO report, only 17% say they trust institutions, while two-thirds (66%) believe they do not manage them well. Distrust is critical, as more than 20% of respondents give a 0 out of 10 rating for tax management. In line with these data, 54% of Catalans believe that the public services they receive are inferior to the taxes they pay, while only 10% believe they are superior to the level of their contributions.

An unfair distribution of wealth

Aside from taxes, another point of concern for Catalans is the distribution of wealth. Specifically, 56% of the population believes the current situation is unfair, while only 24% are satisfied with the current situation. Ten years on, however, more than half of the population (54%) believes the distribution of money should be more evenly distributed, based on incentives for individual effort rather than more egalitarian distribution measures (26%). When asked about the factors that most influence the population, the most frequently cited reason is the rise in prices caused by the war in Ukraine (76%), closely followed by cuts in public services (76%).

Confidence in meritocracy

Half of Catalans also believe that not everyone has the same opportunities to prosper in life. In fact, distrust in meritocracy has been increasing over the generations: men (40%) and women (37%) over 65 are the least likely to believe that people start from unequal conditions. However, up to 68% of women aged 25 to 34 hold this perception. "The lack of opportunity is more widespread among those born in democracy," the report notes. Distributed by ideological framework, people who place themselves on the center-right are the most likely to believe in meritocracy, at 46%. Of those who consider themselves left-wing, only 22% believe in equal opportunities.

One of the most curious data from the CEO, however, is the assessment of unions and employers' associations according to social class. People who identify as "lower working class" are the most critical of unions, with up to 55% believing they don't help reduce economic inequalities. The second most critical group are those who consider themselves upper class, with 50% also criticizing them. As for employers, the upper class doesn't worship them either: 63% believe they don't contribute to economic distribution.