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Abstract
Spanish cities have suffered increasing social inequality after the 2008 economic crisis and austerity policies. However, harshening social conditions have also led to ‘acts of citizenship’. Against the background of Marshallian and Tocquevillean takes on citizenship and civil society this paper analyses the emergence of the political confluence that gained office in the municipal elections of May 2015 in Barcelona incorporating citizens’ organisations and advocacy groups. Barcelona en Comú claims a radical change in policy orientation with a renewed citizenship agenda. We argue that this is an example of urban citizenship that requires historical contextualisation. We see continuities and discontinuities between the current local governance model and agenda and the democratic local governance model established during the 1980s when civil society provided significant input. However, it is a challenge to implement an urban citizenship agenda in a globalised city with resources controlled elsewhere.
Notes
1. In Spanish: Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca was created in 2009 as a self-organisation mechanism grouping owners unable to pay their mortgage and being evicted from their dwelling and renters with low income in danger of being evicted. Platform main actions have been collective actions to stop evictions, negotiation with banks and city councils to find allocation for people being evicted and the promotion of laws against housing evictions and energy poverty. See http://afectadosporlahipoteca.com/.
2. http://www.metroscopia.org/datos-recientes/tag/metroscopia-dinamico/PAH, consulted in March 2013.
3. CIS, Centre of Sociological research, http://www.cis.es/cis/opencms/EN/11_barometros/Indicadores_PI/documentos/serGobOpo1.html.
4. Between 1979 and 2011 the Socialist party (PSC) ruled the city, without absolute majority, except for the period 2001–2004. The party always found support from the post-communist party ICV, which was in charge of welfare policies. Later, ICV would be one of the participants in the new electoral platform BeC.
5. DESC is a think tank on the issue of citizenship led by a senior ex-city councillor, and social scientist who has published articles and books on social rights and urban citizenship.
6. A deep empirical analysis of the social background of those participating in the movement is still pending. Nevertheless, observation of different commissions shows the strong role that academics, most of them young researchers in precarious job situations played in the thematic debates during the elaboration of the programme. The role of the technical staff is relevant as it provided inside information, especially on issues linked to transparency. Finally, people already involved in debates during the 15M movement, were also involved with the platform to different degrees, from simple participation in commissions to being part of the coordination committees.
7. The left-wing party Iniciativa per Catalunya-Verds had continuously supported socialist governments between 1979 and 2011. The participation of this party in the coalition brought greater knowledge of the organisation of the city council and financial resources, but the collaboration generated reservations as the party was seen as an ‘old politics’ organisation by some members of BeC.
8. The Elections in Barcelona brought a very fragmented scenario. Barcelona en Comú obtained 25% of votes and 11 seats. The conservative party CiU obtained 23% and 10 seats. Five other parties obtained representation in the city council, ranging from 7 to 11% with the 21 remaining seats unevenly distributed.
9. Data from the report published by www.elcritic.cat “Radiografia crítica dels 120 dies de Barcelona en Comu al poder” [Critical radiography of 120 days of Barcelona en Comú in power] seen on 23 march 2016.