New Municipalism as a Counter-hegemonic Project for radicalizing Democracy. The Case of Spain 2015-2019
by Alexandros Kioupkiolis
pp. 80-100 Issue 15 (8,1) – January-June 2021 ISSN (online): 2539/2239 ISSN (print): 2389-8232 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14718/SoftPower.2021.8.1.5
Abstract
Contemporary municipalism has emerged as a global drift and network, encompassing several cities in at least 19 countries in different continents. The present paper focusses on Spain, and particularly on the prominent case of Barcelona, where the citizen platform Barcelona en Comú has been governing the city since 2015 (to-date, 2021), led by Ada Colau. “Fearless cities” or “cities of change” have imagined themselves as a creative, democratic, agonistic and solidary response to our critical circumstances of steep inequalities, elite rule, reinvigorated patriarchy, aggravating social expulsions, climate change and civilization crisis.
The paper explores and assesses the transformative democratic force of new municipalism in the Spanish context of 2015-2019. It argues, among others, that in order to foster a “common” democracy whereby power flows from below, the autonomous political organization of municipalism should be nourished and fortified, and the real implication of ordinary citizens in fundamental decision-making should be broadened and deepened.