THE Barcelona mayor’s bid to scapegoat non-EU foreigners as one of the causes of the city’s housing crisis has been met with a barrage of criticism by property experts.
The city’s socialist chief, Jaume Collboni, has famously targeted international buyers, claiming he would ‘ban them’ from snapping up homes in the Catalan capital.
From within city hall, blame has squarely fallen on ‘super-rich’ individuals for buying up flats only to leave them empty for most of the year, hollowing out Barcelona’s traditional neighbourhoods.
But a forensic dive into figures shows they do not support his claims, according to housing experts at Spanish Property Insight.
The official data reveals that the group in the mayor’s crosshairs makes up just 2% of Barcelona’s property market.
According to Spanish notary figures for 2025, Barcelona recorded a total of 17,133 home sales.
While foreign buyers accounted for 32% of these transactions, the vast majority were either existing residents or EU citizens – specifically not the group Collboni is looking to blame.
Non-EU foreigners accounted for a maximum of just 660 purchases last year – and industry experts suggest the true figure is likely even lower, sitting closer to 280 transactions.
This means the expat buyers Collboni is looking to blame for the city’s property squeeze made up just a fiftieth of the entire market.
Analysts point out that banning this group entirely would have zero meaningful impact on property prices, local supply or overall affordability.
“So why target such a tiny group? The answer is familiar in Spanish housing politics,” write Spanish Property Insight.
“Foreign buyers who do not live in the city and do not vote make a convenient scapegoat.
“Blaming them for the housing crisis is politically easy, even when the evidence suggests they play no significant role in driving the market.”
Barcelona’s severe housing shortage is widely attributed to limited new supply, strict planning constraints and regulatory policies that actively discourage development – all issues that fall within the remit of the town hall.
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