Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second most populous city in Spain. The Spanish state forms part of the European Union and is divided up into regions known as autonomous communities. The roots of Catalan self-governance go back to the Middle Ages and Catalonia existed long before Spain.
The Ayuntamiento de Barcelona (City Council) is the institution which represents, governs and manages the city's interests.
Additionally, Barcelona has a legal instrument which reinforces and guarantees the city's autonomy — the Municipal Charter of Barcelona — which has been approved by both the Catalan and Spanish parliaments.