Andorra’s 2027 budget survives opposition motions to reject it

The 2027 budget bill has cleared its first debate in the General Council after the majority rejected three motions to reject it in full, submitted by Concòrdia, the Social Democratic Party (PS) and Andorra Endavant.

According to RTVA, opposition groups criticised the continuity of the budget and put forward alternative approaches.

Concòrdia president Cerni Escalé called the budget “continuist” and accused the Government of living through an “institutional Groundhog Day”, arguing that the country’s problems persist and are getting worse.

He also warned that rent assistance could have an inflationary effect and criticised the rise in social assistance, which he described as “a massive expansion of welfare dependency”.

Escalé also questioned the growth of public companies, saying they duplicate functions and operate without transparency.

PS warns over higher spending and lower housing investment

PS parliamentary group president Susanna Vela said the increased resources available for 2027 should have been used to provide greater protection for people and prepare the country for a possible economic slowdown. She criticised the rise in public spending, attributing it to a lack of prudence.

Vela also noted that, despite an overall increase in housing investment, the allocation for directly building social housing will fall from around €12 million to €6.7 million, a 44% decrease. She said the budget reflected a change in approach.

Andorra Endavant president Carine Montaner, meanwhile, proposed increasing revenue from Andorra Telecom dividends by €7.5 million and using the money to improve resources for the Police Corps, strengthen social assistance and develop housing for older people. The proposal was part of her party’s motion to reject the budget in full, which was also defeated.