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Murcia tops bankruptcy rankings as household debt soars
More residents seek relief as insolvency filings surge, while layoffs and evictions slow
Murcia continues to make national headlines, but not for the reasons anyone would hope. From April through June, the region once again reported the most personal bankruptcies in Spain, with a notable surge in cases brought by individuals striving to escape mounting debts.According to the latest data from the Juzgado de lo Mercantil nº 4 de Cartagena (General Council of the Judiciary), the courts in Murcia handled 841 personal insolvency filings this spring, a sharp 23.3% rise compared to the same period last year. “These individual cases now make up the vast majority of the 906 bankruptcy proceedings brought before the region’s courts,” a recent report highlighted. At 57.8 filings per 100,000 inhabitants, Murcia’s bankruptcy rate stands well above the national average of 37.2, outpacing both Catalonia and the Canary Islands.
Most of those seeking a fresh start are regular families or individuals, rather than business owners. The wave of personal bankruptcies has gathered pace for three years running, spurred in part by legal changes in 2022 that made it easier for those without enough assets to enter simplified proceedings under the Second Chance Law.
In fact, a judge in the Consejo General del Poder Judicial (Cartagena’s Commercial Court) recently explained that the number of people securing debt waivers is climbing steadily. Courts now grant an average of five such cases each day, and last year alone the law allowed for more than 2,000 Murcians to have unsustainable debts wiped away.
By contrast, bankruptcy among self-employed entrepreneurs dropped by over 10% in the second quarter, with just 17 such cases brought forward. Proceedings involving companies also rose, but not as sharply as those involving private individuals.
Households also faced a dramatic rise in foreclosures, up more than 75% since last year, totalling 9,640 between April and June and pushing Murcia to second place nationally in this category. Yet, there was a silver lining, as both evictions and dismissals showed declines. There were 190 evictions recorded this quarter, down 11.6%, and layoff claims dropped by 5.3%, suggesting some stability in the regional job market.
Not all the news was positive, however. Cases of illegal home occupation jumped by 45%, with 32 lawsuits filed this quarter concerning homes owned by individuals, social groups, or public bodies offering social housing.
Meanwhile, routine payment order claims, used to recover minor debts such as overdue community fees, fell by more than 16%.
As Murcia continues to face economic turbulence, the data points to both deep challenges for many households and small signs of employment steadiness on the horizon.
Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya/Pexels
