Heated General Council session over housing data and oncology staffing

The Christmas spirit did not reach the General Council yesterday. What had been billed as a conciliatory session had the tone of a family dinner in which several relatives argued over who is right.

Syndic Roser Ensenyat had to invoke Article 7 of the chamber’s rules, which requires participants to speak with respect and courtesy, after tensions rose among several councillors. Pere Baró, Conxita Marsol and Carine Montaner were the main protagonists of the heated exchanges.

The arguments began over housing, a recurring subject in the chamber. Baró put a question that drew a predictable response from Marsol, and the debate intensified after follow-up interventions. Baró delivered a long, prepared reply during a repregunta; Marsol countered in turn.

The dispute culminated in a disagreement over whether sale and rental price statistics are public. Minister of Health Helena Mas maintained the statistics are public; Baró insisted they were not. The issue was resolved in the chamber when Cerni Escalé located the figures in the government’s quarterly press releases, undermining Baró’s position.

Montaner used her turn of repregunta on a separate matter — originally raised by Concòrdia — to challenge the minister about the number of oncology professionals in the country, accusing the ministry of lacking that information. She also accused Mas of inattention earlier in the session and, in a sarcastic tone, called her “senyora marquesa,” suggesting a lack of willingness to act.

Mas rejected Montaner’s provocations, saying she would not be drawn into them and expressing disappointment with what she described as Montaner’s eagerness to stand out without presenting the truth. The exchange grew personal enough that the syndic ordered a pause in proceedings.

After the pause, members of the Democratic bench approached Minister Mas to show support; the head of government also embraced her in the chamber. The session ended with the atmosphere remaining strained rather than festive, a reminder that debates in the General Council can still be contentious even as the holidays approach.