The Bilbao City Council is currently drafting the budget for 2027, which includes a fund of 2 million euros dedicated to citizen proposals. A total of 614 proposals have been submitted from 580 applications, marking an increase of nearly 25% compared to the contributions in 2025, when 492 were received.
Among the diverse ideas put forward by Bilbao residents, the creation of a public veterinary hospital stands out, having garnered 80 requests. Accessibility is another key area generating numerous applications. These include mechanical ramps on Claudio Gallastegui street, escalators on Pintor Etxenaga street or between Pablo Zamarripa and the Begoña health center, as well as elevators between Mina San Luis and Agarre streets near the Miribilla health center, in Lezeaga-Bentazarra park, or a third connecting Deusto with the Euskalduna bridge. Access ramps to the Bidarte civic center or the La Vaguada pergola are also noteworthy.
Mobility is addressed through numerous requests concerning the expansion of the OTA (regulated parking) in the Bolueta neighborhood and the creation of more bidegorris (bike lanes).
More unusual proposals include eliminating the tram's squeak in Atxuri, a printed and app-based senior guide for elderly assistance, or a beach transport service for seniors, particularly aimed at women over 65. Others relate to installing public announcement boards for obituaries, creating a beach volleyball court, or installing roofs for children's playgrounds in areas like El Arenal, Solokoetxe, or Sarriko.
After analyzing all proposals, they will be evaluated based on criteria such as municipal competence, legality, general interest, feasibility, a budget not exceeding 300,000 euros, and the possibility of execution within 2027. Subsequently, those selected will proceed to a public vote. Municipal departments will identify priority proposals and choose those that are technically and economically viable, aligning with general interest, opportunity, and municipal strategy.
Projects advancing to the final stage of the participatory budgeting process will be decided by citizen vote, which will be open from September 21 to October 2 on www.bilbao.eus, where residents can vote for proposals they deem best for Bilbao.
Any resident of Bilbao aged 16 or over can participate, with one vote per person.
According to a statement from the Bilbao City Council, 62.30% of the 614 proposals were submitted by women, and 76.55% were made individually. Nearly two-thirds of the participants (63.20%) are between 41 and 65 years old, followed by those aged 31 to 40 (22.44%). The most frequent areas for requests are public works (27.20%), health and consumption (22.48%), services (16.61%), and mobility (14.82%).
Regarding the districts referenced, Begoña district received the most proposals (20.52%), followed by Ibaiondo (12.38%), Deusto (9.93%), and Rekalde (9.45%). However, the city as a whole remains the primary recipient of proposals, accounting for 34.69%.
The participation of the Children's Council is noteworthy, having submitted 23 proposals: 9 related to services, 6 to mobility, 4 to youth and sports, and another 4 to public works.
