The Electoral Effects of Banning Cars from the Streets: Evidence from Barcelona’s Superblocks

Cèlia Estruch-Garcia (), Albert Solé-Ollé (), Filippo Tassinari and Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal ()
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Cèlia Estruch-Garcia: Universitat de Barcelona & IEB
Albert Solé-Ollé: Universitat de Barcelona & IEB
Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal: Universitat de Barcelona & IEB & CEPR

No 2025/01, Working Papers from Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB)

Abstract: This paper explores the electoral effects of Barcelona's Superblocks pedestrianization policy, a green initiative designed to reduce car traffic and enhance urban environments. Using census tract-level data from the 2023 local elections, we assess the policy's impact on support for the incumbent mayor. Our findings reveal a positive and statistically significant increase in votes in areas directly affected by the policy, with benefits also extending to neighboring districts. Importantly, there is no evidence that the intervention led to traffic displacement, which suggests that such disruptions did not provoke electoral backlash. Further analysis indicates that the policy's effects are not driven by concerns over gentrification or mobility disruptions. Instead, the effects are stronger in more educated neighborhoods, pointing to the role of environmental attitudes in shaping political support. These results contribute to the literature on the political economy of green policies, underscoring the importance of localized impacts in shaping electoral outcomes and sustaining públic support for urban climate initiatives.

Keywords: Green policies; Cities; Elections (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 Q58 R53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 50 pages
Date: 2025
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https://ieb.ub.edu/ca/publication/2025-01-the-elec ... celonas-superblocks/

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