In Santiago de Compostela the political platform Frente Amplio proposed far-reaching decentralisation of state institutions on Saturday. Those responsible named two specific relocations: the headquarters of Banco de España to Seville and that of the Defensor del Pueblo to Vigo. The proposal is part of a model that the group calls federalismo plurinacional and links to a more even territorial distribution of powers and institutional presence.
The proposals were presented at a public event attended by, among others, Verónica Barbero, a candidate for Congress, and Paulo Carlos López, the campaign spokesperson in Galicia. They said the relocation of central government departments and oversight bodies would bring political and economic decision-making closer to the regions. López specifically named the cities of Seville and Vigo as new locations for Banco de España and Defensor del Pueblo. Barbero argued for reshaping the state so that it recognises and makes use of the country’s diversity.
The organisers emphasise that these are political proposals, not measures that have already been approved. Implementing them would involve legal and organisational hurdles. Relocating a national central bank or ombudsman’s office would affect internal organisational structures and potentially the legal framework, as well as involve considerable logistical challenges. Meanwhile, Spain’s central institutions have traditionally been concentrated in Madrid, meaning that any decision about their location would require broad political support at national level.
A mixed response is likely politically. Supporters of decentralised structures are likely to see the announcement as a step towards greater territorial balance and visibility for public services outside the capital. Critics are likely to raise questions of efficiency and coordination, as well as costs. In any case, Frente Amplio is putting the issue firmly on the political agenda and linking it to its policy platform of federalismo plurinacional.
Background: Banco de España serves as the national central bank within the Eurosystem and, in Spain, performs supervisory and statistical functions, among others. Defensor del Pueblo is the state’s independent ombudsman, which examines citizens’ complaints about the administration. Both institutions are headquartered in Madrid. Relocating their headquarters would not be feasible without appropriate legislative changes and operational transition plans.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).