The flow of travelers in the different modalities of the high-speed corridor between Madrid and Barcelona It seems, for too long now, unbalanced: Barcelonans looking for an oxygen bath that they can’t find in their city. Also cultural offer, or business opportunities. A flow that has its correspondence in the image that, at one end and the other of the railway line, each city has of itself. And that goes beyond leisure, with the impression firmly established in business sectors that the Catalan capital adds too easily missed opportunities and unnecessary obstacles. With more energy deployed in stopping initiatives than in starting them.
Seen from the other side of the mirror, the panorama could be seen as an inverted image. There will be no shortage of people from Madrid who perceive aspects in their city that may go unnoticed by the visitor or even the entrepreneur: a model of suburban growth, consolidated by extreme liberal governments except for a four-year hiatus, which punishes local commerce and gives priority to large surfaces, it multiplies mobility and neglects essential public services such as primary health care. But it does not seem that they are the majority – at least that is what the polls said – nor that these arguments serve to balance the balance of the spirit of the people of Barcelona, who may not be able to see the difference between the suffocation of their CAP and that of the centers of health of the capital, or they may not consider gestures such as the reversal of Madrid Central or the opening of the restaurant and nightlife sectors precisely an example to avoid.
The debate between the strength of Madrid and the decline of Barcelona may be more nuanced with the bare and objective figures in hand (GDP growth after the coronavirus crisis, recovery of employment, attraction of foreign investment, assessment of social services) or if the distorting effect of the ‘procés’ or tax competition on factors such as the ability to attract Spanish tourism or the location of business decision-making centers is considered. Or if the focus is on the state of health of specific sectors (such as the collapse of the audiovisual sector in Catalonia). But much of the game is played in the field of feelings, of self-esteem, Mood. From existence or not of a model (Madrid has one, which can be shared or rejected, but which one is Barcelona?). And if in any case this intangible factor has an influence, it is in the evaluation of local political leaders and in the decision to vote, with the municipal elections 15 months ahead.
The last citizen barometer of Barcelona collected an apparent contradiction, with the mayor Ada Colau as a favorite and a increase in public unrest to numerous aspects of city management. A reflection of a Polarization entrenched among loyal and outraged voters. The sum of discomforts and grievances can give arguments to electoral strategies based on exploiting these negative visions of the city. Denying them can give reason to maintain an uncritical complacency with what has been done so far. But what Barcelona needs is for the candidates to offer projects that allow to recover the optimism, self-esteem and initiative to the city. That one of them convinces them that, as mayor, they will make the people of Barcelona feel pride in their city again, and not envy what others do.