Fiscal sustainability of Spain’s local governments: Targeted weaknesses within overall strength
Fecha: julio 2023
Ana Aguerrea
Local governments
SEFO, Spanish and International Economic & Financial Outlook, V. 12 N.º 4 (July 2023)
While as regards to fiscal performance and the achievement of financial equilibrium, Spain’s local governments on aggregate have been the best performing level of the Spanish administration, a more granular assessment reveals vast differences across municipalities. Over 100 municipalities face structural financial challenges, primarily recording too high a level of public debt for too long a time frame. Restructuring public finances across these heavily indebted municipalities will requires implementing policy measures aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability and a balanced budget. The deferral of debt service payments, the main policy tool formulated by the central government in recent aid mechanisms, has proven ineffective to resolve the current fiscal imbalances at the local level and has even at times exacerbated the problem. To tackle the problem identified, new solutions are needed. The local authorities should be held jointly responsible for the restructuring process by making them take the steps needed to balance their budgets over time in a sustainable manner.