With the restoration of democracy returned the Catalan institutions and the Generalitat, reinstated in 1977 with the return of exiled president, Josep Tarradellas. On September 11, 1977 there was a demonstration in Barcelona on behalf of the Statute. The adoption of the 1978 Constitution favored the status of autonomy, and approved the Statute on 18 December 1979. So, Barcelona again became the capital of the Catalonia regional and headquarters of the new parliament and the autonomous government. The first municipal elections were the April 3, 1979, giving the city his first consistory Democratic: Socialist mayor was elected Narcis Serra, whom he succeeded in 1982, Pasqual Maragall, the promoter of the Olympic Games. Since the inauguration of Serra, the PSC has always been leading the city government: a case in 1997 Maragall Joan Clos, and Jordi Hereu it in 2006.
Barcelona launched a new cultural and urban development that has become the attractive city it is today. It had a lot to see the appointment of Barcelona, on 17 October 1986 at the city hosting the XXV Olympic Games in 1992 (and IX Paralympic Games.) The seven years between 1986 and 1992 constituted years of great transformation for the city: not only built the sports complex requirements (Olympic Stadium renovation, construction of the Palau Sant Jordi, etc), but held such important works the construction of ring roads of the city, the recovery of the beaches and all the waterfront (Maremàgnum area), construction of new neighborhoods such as the Olympic Village, the improvement of the transport system and modernization of the meter, installation of new telecommunications tower Collserola, renovation and expansion of the airport of Barcelona, the renewal of the fleet of taxis, cleaning of building facades in the city (Barcelona campaign posa't beautiful), modernization of hospitals, construction of municipal sports centers, the proliferation of hotel rooms, etc. The Games also internationalized definitely the image of a modern Barcelona before the world, and regained the illusion of Barcelona, proud of their ciudad.