Virtus Downplays Andorrans Being Priced Out of Their Country: “It's Not a Crime to Live in La Seu”

Xavier Altimir, treasurer of the Andorran political party Virtus, has argued that Andorrans moving to La Seu d'Urgell because they can no longer afford to live in the Principality should not necessarily be considered such a serious problem.

His remarks have brought renewed attention to the emerging party's position on one of Andorra's most pressing social challenges: the growing difficulty residents face in finding affordable housing in their own country.

During an interview on the television programme Parlem-ne, broadcast by Diari TV, Altimir questioned criticism of the situation and compared the current movement of residents from Andorra to neighbouring Spain with historical migration patterns between the Principality and the Alt Urgell region.

“I don't know why this has now become a crime, for someone to go and live in La Seu and commute to work in Andorra,” the Virtus treasurer stated.

His comments come at a time when rising property prices and rental costs are forcing some Andorran residents to consider relocating across the Spanish border, despite continuing to work and maintain much of their personal and professional lives in Andorra.

From Defending Andorrans to Accepting Their Departure from the Country

To justify his position, Altimir referred to the historical relationship between Andorra and La Seu d'Urgell, recalling that residents of the Spanish town have travelled to the Principality for work for decades.

He also pointed out that, in previous periods, some Andorran families had been forced by economic circumstances to relocate to neighbouring communities.

However, this historical comparison overlooks an important distinction.

Today, some Andorran citizens work in their own country, have established their lives there and would prefer to remain, but are being priced out of the housing market.

The issue is therefore not whether someone should be free to choose to live in La Seu d'Urgell.

Rather, it concerns the fact that Andorran nationals may find themselves unable to afford a home in their own country, effectively pushing them to relocate for financial reasons.

The distinction between voluntarily choosing to live abroad and being economically forced to leave is central to the country's ongoing housing debate.

Altimir's apparent acceptance of this situation also raises questions about the consistency of Virtus's political message.

The party has positioned the defence of Andorran national interests and identity among its main political priorities. Yet its treasurer's comments appear to suggest that residents leaving the country because they cannot afford accommodation should not necessarily be regarded as a particularly serious concern.

This position contrasts with the growing public debate over whether Andorra's economic development is benefiting its own population or making it increasingly difficult for some citizens to remain in the country.

Altimir Blames Some Residents' Housing Problems on a “Lack of Foresight”

One of the most controversial moments of the interview came when the Virtus treasurer addressed the reasons why some residents have been forced to leave Andorra.

Altimir acknowledged that some people choose to relocate voluntarily, while others leave because they can no longer afford housing.

However, he suggested that certain cases could be explained by poor personal financial planning.

“Some perhaps because of a lack of foresight, because at the time they might have been able to buy instead of renting,” he stated.

The remark places part of the responsibility on those affected, suggesting that some households could have avoided their current difficulties if they had purchased property years earlier.

However, access to home ownership depends on a range of economic factors that are not always within an individual's control.

These include income levels, the ability to accumulate savings, mortgage eligibility, lending conditions and the evolution of property prices.

For many workers, particularly younger generations and households with limited financial resources, buying a home may never have been a realistic possibility.

Consequently, suggesting that residents should have purchased property when prices were lower risks overlooking the structural factors contributing to Andorra's housing affordability crisis.

Andorra's Housing Crisis Raises Questions About the Country's Future

The controversy surrounding Altimir's statements reflects a broader debate over Andorra's economic model and its ability to guarantee affordable housing for its own population.

The Principality has experienced significant pressure on its property market, with limited housing supply, strong demand and rising accommodation costs making it increasingly difficult for some residents to remain in the country.

For those who relocate to La Seu d'Urgell while continuing to work in Andorra, moving across the border may provide a more affordable housing alternative.

However, this solution can also involve longer commutes, additional transport costs and the disruption of established family and community ties.

More fundamentally, it raises a political question: should the departure of Andorran citizens because they cannot afford housing be regarded as a normal consequence of economic development, or as evidence of a problem requiring public intervention?

Altimir's remarks suggest a willingness to view cross-border relocation as part of the region's historical economic reality.

Nevertheless, the situation remains particularly sensitive for residents who do not wish to leave Andorra but find themselves increasingly unable to meet its housing costs.

As the country approaches the 2027 general election, housing affordability is expected to remain one of the central issues in the political debate.

The statements by the Virtus treasurer have therefore placed the emerging political party's approach to housing under scrutiny, particularly regarding the responsibility of public institutions to ensure that Andorrans can continue living in their own country.