The Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, was elected Vice President of Eurocities during the General Assembly held by the network in Braga on June 6. In this way, Collboni will lead Eurocities for the next two years, working in tandem with Mathias De Clercq, Mayor of Ghent, who was elected President for the same period.

Collboni, elected by delegates from more than 200 major European cities, will promote a clear agenda focused on housing, climate action, innovation, and democratic renewal. As one of the founding members of Eurocities, Barcelona —which also renewed its mandate on the network’s Executive Committee for another three years— brings a track record of ambitious urban leadership and renewed political momentum to advance shared European goals.

In his address to the members of the Executive Committee, Jaume Collboni highlighted the key areas of work for this new Eurocities mandate. “The priority is housing, and we will leverage the strength of Eurocities to secure more resources for cities. Climate action and the defense of democracy are also on the agenda. We are witnessing the difficulties faced by working-class people to live in their cities, the speed at which hate speech is spreading, and the impact of Trumpism on the fight against global warming and peace programs,” he said, adding, “Europe begins in the neighborhoods of its cities. And we need a bold Eurocities that reflects our diversity and works for a better future. A future with affordable housing, green policies, and social justice”.

He also emphasized Barcelona’s pro-European outlook: “We are an open, progressive, and deeply European city. Hence our desire to have a greater presence in Europe once again, to continue contributing and collaborating in the construction of a stronger European project”.

Housing policies as the priority of the vice presidency

Barcelona has made housing its top political priority, with measures such as rent caps, the elimination of tourist accommodations (HUTs) by 2028, and significant public investment to ensure affordable housing. With the collaboration of Eurocities, Barcelona also leads the Mayors for Housing alliance, which on May 15 presented its European Housing Action Plan to the European Commission. Among other measures, it calls on the EU to create a European Affordable Housing Fund to help mobilize €300 billion annually.

Solidarity with Ukraine

The Eurocities General Assembly connected live with the Third Annual International Summit of Cities and Regions held in Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the cities gathered in Braga. The mayors expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainian cities through a message from the Mayor of Leipzig and outgoing Eurocities President, Burkhard Jung.