Barcelona in the world Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second largest city of Spain in terms of population, only exceeded by Madrid. Barcelona City Council is the local public administration that represents, governs and administers the city's interests. Spain is a member of the European Union, and Barcelona, as part of the Spanish State, is governed by the legal frameworks established by the Spanish Constitution, the Catalan Statute of Autonomy and European Union laws. A constitution is the fundamental set of principles and precedents for democratic government. It arises, among other reasons, out of the will to establish and consolidate a social, democratic State based on written laws to respect the fundamental rights of its citizens and establish an advanced democratic society. Catalonia and the Spanish State Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, organised into autonomous communities. The Generalitat is the autonomous political institution of Catalonia, with the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat, and the Executive Council, the Govern de Catalonia. The political autonomy of Catalonia within the Spanish State is a long-standing tradition. Its earliest antecedents date back to the Middle Ages in the form of the mediaeval institution which ruled the Principality of Catalonia, the Diputació General de Catalunya. The first modern Generalitat was installed during the period of the second Spanish Republic, in 1931, and restored as a result of the transition to democracy. Catalonia's Statute of Autonomy is the fundamental institutional law of the region, defining the rights and duties of the citizens of Catalonia, its political institutions, their powers, and their relations with the Spanish State, as well as the finances of the Generalitat. The electorate voted in favour of this law in a referendum on 18 June 2006. The new text replaced the Sau Statute, which dated from 1979. Local government In both the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, city governments figure as highly important public institutions in the democratic system, guaranteeing municipal autonomy. This autonomy gives city councils the power to govern in those areas they are responsible for, and to defend their interests, always within the law and subject to the Constitution. The City Council is the city government and municipal administration, with the Mayor and the city councillors, and is the public administration closest to the citizen. City councillors are elected by the residents of each municipal area, with all residents having the right to vote, freely, directly and in secret. Special Status of Barcelona City Council State legislation and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy give the municipal area of Barcelona a special regime, established by parliamentary law. Barcelona City Council has the right to propose the modification of this regime, to participate in the elaboration of any changes to be made by law, and must be consulted during the parliamentary process of any other legislative matters which affect it. The Municipal Charter of Barcelona, approved by the Parliament of Catalonia and by the Spanish Parliament, legally strengthens and guarantees the autonomy of the city. Its purpose is to facilitate efficient, local management of the city and for the citizens, and to reinforce the municipal powers in the area of collaboration with public administrations. © Barcelona City Council