Open letter to Barcelona
To the people of Barcelona,
We’re living in times of great uncertainty. Across the world, inequalities are deepening, the far right is attacking the foundations of our democracy, and climate change is threatening life itself.
But against this backdrop, you can be proud that Barcelona has become a beacon of hope. Barcelona is proving that we don’t have to be afraid of standing up to corporate power. That there is another way of doing politics that puts people at the centre.
In the face of speculation that displaces our neighbours, Barcelona has stopped thousands of evictions. In the face of thousands of people drowning in the Mediterranean, Barcelona offers itself as a safe harbour. In the face of the existential threat of climate change, Barcelona is reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases.
Barcelona is a global example of a brave, feminist city.
That’s why it’s so necessary to defend Barcelona and Ada Colau’s mayoralty. Because the choice faced by the people of Barcelona on the 26th of May is the same choice we all face around the world: a government for the many or for the few. The right to housing or gentrification. Public water or private profits. Cities for children or cities full of smoke. Riace or Salvini. Feminism or Bolsonaro. The planet or Trump.
It’s our understanding that the results of the elections in Barcelona will determine the opportunity for change beyond your city. Those of us who want a fairer, more democratic, feminist future want and need Ada Colau’s municipalist government to continue four more years.
Now, more than ever, we need global networks of solidarity and hope. That’s why we’re proud and excited to endorse Ada Colau and Barcelona En Comú.
Signed:
18 en commun, Municipalist platform, Paris
Aaron Bastani, Co-founder of Novara Media, UK
Alejandro Bernales, MP, Partido Liberal, Frente Amplio, Chile
Alex Barcellos, Member of the Agência Solano Trindade
Alisa Del Re, Professor of Political Science, University of Padova
Ana Drago, MP, LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar, Portugal
Ana Falú, Professor at the National University of Córdoba (UNC) and Director of the Housing and Habitat Research Institute (INVIHAB)
Ana Peraica, Member of Get (Association of inhabitants of the old city core), Split, Croatia
Andrea Reimer, Former city councilor of Vancouver, Canada
Andrej Holm, Urban sociologist at Humboldt-University Berlin and tenant rights activist
Anne-Sophie Olmos, Councilor of Grenoble City Council, France
Augusto Barrera, Former Mayor of Quito and Secretary of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Ecuador, Director de FLASCO
Aúrea Carolina, MP, Muitas, Brazil
Bacqué Marie-Hélène, Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Paris Nanterre
Bancada Ativista, Municipalist platform, São Paulo
Beppe Caccia, Former councillor and deputy mayor for social affairs, Venice
Bertie Russell, Research Associate at Sheffield Urban Institute
Bill De Blasio, Mayor of New York City, USA
Bill McKibben, Writer and Founder of 350.org
Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Professor of Sociology, University of Coimbra (Portugal)
Brad Lander, Deputy Leader for Policy, New York City Council, USA
Bruno Lamour, Former president of Roosevelt France
Caio Eduardo Tendolini e Silva, Member of Bancada Ativista and #OcupaPolítica, São Paulo, Brasil
California Progressive Alliance, Political association
Camila Rojas, MP, Partido Comunes, Frente Amplio, Chile
Caren Tepp, Councilor of Rosario City Council, Argentina
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Councilor of Chicago City Council, USA
Carmen Pérez, Co-founder of Womens March
Carmen Yulín Cruz, Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Carole Pateman, Professor of Political Science, University of California Los Angeles
Catalina Pérez, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Cezar Santos Alvarez, Economist
Chantal Mouffe, Professor of Political Theory, University of Westminster
Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament Malaysia. Chair ASEAN Parlamentarians for Human Rights
Charlotte Marchandise, Deputy Mayor of Rennes, Fran
Chico Whitaker, Founder member of the International Committee of the World Social Forum
Chokwe Lumumba, Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Cindy Wiesner, National Coordinator Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (USA)
Clara Marina Brugada Molina, Mayor of Iztapalapa, Mexico
Claudia Mix, MP, Partido Comunes, Frente Amplio, Chile
Clémentine Autain, MP of France Insoumise
Coumba Touré, Coordinator of Africans Rising, Dakar
Cris Terribas, Member of #LaPartidaFeminista, Brasil
Cristina Jimenez, Founder and Director of United We Dream, USA
Daniel Denvir, Presenter of ‘The Dig’, USA
Daphne Büllesbach, Executive Director, European Alternatives
David Gabriel Bodinier, L’Atelier Populaire d’Urbanisme, Grenoble
David Harvey, Professor of Anthropology and Geography, CUNY, New York
Debbie Bookchin, Writer and municipalist, New York City
Dendrinos Vasileios, Telecommunication engineer member of the Telecommunications Workers Federation of Greece.
Didier Fradin, Member of La Belle Démocratie, le Collectif, Lilla, França
Diego Ibañez, MP, Movimiento Autonomista, Frente Amplio, Chile
Dilma Rousseff, Former President of Brazil
Dimitri Rossopoulos, Social Ecology Center, Montreal
Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Vice President of the European Parliament
Djamila Ribeiro, Philosopher and feminist, Brasil
Domenico Lucano, Mayor of Riace
Douzinas Costas, Professor of Law, Birbeck University, London
Dr Christine Frison, Researcher in Environmental Law, University of Antwerp and University of Antwerp
Dr Wes Bellamy, Deputy Mayor of Charlottesville, USA
Du Pente, Member of Muitas, Belo Horizonte, Brasil
Eduardo Martinez, Councilor of Richmond City Council, California, USA
Eleanor Finley, Anthropologist and Municipalist
Elisabeth Dau, Researcher and expert in governance and municipalism
Eliška Lindovská, Member of Prázdné Domy (Empty Houses), Prague
Elsa Faucillon, Deputy of Hauts-de-Seine (PCF)
Emily Clancy, Councilor of Bologna City Council, Italy
Emir Sader, Political scientist, Brazil
Eric Piolle, Mayor of Grenoble, France
Erminia Maricato, Professor of São Paulo University, Minister for Cities in the Lula administration
Estela de Carlotto, President of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Etienne Balibar, Professor of Philosophy, Kingston University, London
Éva Tessza Udvarhelyi, Member of A Varos Mindenkie (The City is for All), Budapest
EYATH trade union, Water workers union, Thessaloniki
Femke Roosma, Party Leader, GroenLinks Amsterdam
Fernanda Melchionna, MP, PSOL, Brazil
Franco “Bifo” Berardi, Philosopher, Bologna, Italy
Franco Rotelli, President of the Health Committee of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy
François Ralle, Consular Advisor for French Citizens in Spain
Frans Bieckmann, Fearless Cities Strategic Advisor, Amsterdam City Council
Gabriel Boric, MP, Movimiento Autonomista, Frente Amplio, Chile
Gabriele Zimmer, President of GUE/NGL in European Parliament
Gael Yeomans, MP, Izquierda Libertaria, Frente Amplio, Chile
Gayle McLaughlin, Former Mayor of Richmond, California and Director of the California Progressive Alliance
Geneviève Brichet, Mouvement Utopia, Lyon, France
Geoffrey Pleyers, Professor of Sociology, Catholic University of Louvain and Vice-President of the International Sociological Association
Giorgio Jackson, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Giovanna del Giudice, President of the ConfBasaglia Association, Italy
Giusi Nicolini, Former Mayor of Lampedusa, Greece
Godofredo Pereira, Professor of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, London
Gonzalo Winter, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Gustave Massiah, Founder of the World Social Forum
Guy Oron, Community activist, Seattle, EUA
Helen Gym, Councilor of Philadelphia City Council, USA
Hilary Wainwright, Editor of Red Pepper magazine and former Deputy Chief Economic Advisor of the Greater London Council
Igor Stokfiszewski, Researcher, activist and artist
Isabel Lorey, Academy of Media Arts, Cologne
Isin Engin, Professor of Political Science, Open University, UK
James Angel, Member of Switched On, London
Jamie Kelsey-Fry, Editor and activist, London
Jayati Ghosh, Economist and Professor at the University of Nerhu, India
Jean Marc Caron, Mayor of Loos-en-Goelle, France
Jean Wyllys, Activist and former MP, Brazil
Jilian Johnson, Mayor Pro Tempore of Durham North Carolina
João Pedro Stedilz, Economist and Co-Founder of the Landless Workers Movement (MST), Brazil
Jonas Staal, Artist, New World Summit / New Unions, Rotterdam/Athens
Jorge Amat, Filmmaker and son of the anti-francoist Victoria Pujolar Amat
Jorge Brito, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Jorge Mario Jauregui, Architect and Urbanist, Rio de Janeiro
Jorge Sharp, Mayor of Valparaíso, Chile
Juan Ignacio Latorre, Senator for Frente Amplio, Chile
Juan Monteverde, Councilor on Rosario City Council, Argentina
Juan Reardon, Co-Founder of the Richmond Progressive Alliance
Judith Butler, Professor of Philosophy, University of California Berkeley
Judith Revel, Professor of Philosophy, University of Paris Nanterre
Kalle Soderberg, Member of Allt åt alla, Malmö
Laura Roberts, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Queensland
Lorena González, Councilor, Seattle City Council, USA
Lorena Zarate, President of the Habitat International Coalition
Lorenzo Marsili, Co-founder and Director of European Alternatives
Louça Francisco, Professor of Economics, University of Lisbon
Luigi Demagistris, Mayor of Naples
Luigi Zoja, Psychoanalyst and writer
Magali Fricaudet, President of AITEC (International association of Experts and Citizens)
Magid Magid, Former Lord Mayor of Sheffield and candidate in the European Elections
Maite Orsini, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Maité Rodríguez, Coordinator of the Network for Women and Habitat, Latin America
Manuela Bojadzijev, Professor of Globalized Cultures, University of Berlin
Marcelo Chilvarquer, Member of #OcupaPolítica
Maria Fernanda Milicich Seibel, Lawyer, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
María Luisa Cuenca Morales, Director of Operatonal Center for Housing and settlements (México)
Mariana Belmont, Member of #OcupaPolítica
Marie-Hélène Bacqué, Professor of Urban Studies, University of Paris Nanterre
Marin Krpetić, Leader of Dobri — Get and President of the Grad District of Split, Croàtia
Marisa Matias, MEP, Bloco d’Esquerda
Matthijs de Bruijne, Artist, Amsterdam
Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party
Menno Grootveld, Writer and activist
Michael Hardt, Professor of Philosopher and Literature, Duke University, USA
Michel Briand, Activist in the co-op economy, Bretagne Creative, Brest, France
Miguel Crispi, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Miloon Kothari, Senior Advisor, MIT Displacement Research Action Network (DRAN) Former UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
Mohamed Mechmache, Popular neighbourhoods union, Pas Sans Nous, France
Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Social movement, Brazil
Naomi Klein, Writer and journalist
Natalia Castillo, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Ne davimo Beograd (No deixem que Belgrad s’enfonsi), Municipalist platform, Belgrade, Serbia
Nelini Stamp, National Organizing Director, Working Families Party
Noam Chomsky, Philospher and Linguist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ocupa Política, Social movement, Brazil
Olivier Petitjean, Observatory of Multinationals
Owen Jones, Writer and journalist
Pablo Vidal, MP, Revolución Democrática, Frente Amplio, Chile
Papakonstantinou Georgio, Mechanical Engineer, Vice Secretary of the Workers Union Center of Thessaloniki, Greece
PartidA feministA, Social movement, Brazil
Patrick Braouezec, Vice President of the Paris Metropolitan Area
Paul Mason, Economist and journalist, London
Paula Marques, Councilor of Lisbon City Council, Portugal
Peter Macfadyen, Founder of Independents for Frome, UK
Pierre Alain Cardona, Mouvement Utopia, Marseille, France
Rafael Reygadas Robles Gil, Professor of Anthropology at the Autonomous Metropolitan University, Mexico City
Raquel Rolnik, Architect and Urban planner, University of São Paulo
Rassemblement Citoyen de la Gauche et des Ecologistes, Municipalist platform, Grenoble
Razem, Political party, Poland
Régis Piot, Councillor of Aulnay-sous-Bois, France
Rena Dourou, Governor of Atica, Greece
Renata Avila, Executive Director of Ciudadanía Inteligente
Renata Boulos, Institute of International Cooperation for Development, São Paulo
Rita Segato, Anthopologist and feminist
Robert Brenner, History Professor at the University of California Los Angeles
Robert Pollin, Professor of Economics, University of Massachussets Amherst
Robin Blackbourn, Historian and Former editor of the New Left Review
Rocio Lombera, Director of Development, Planning and Citizenship, Iztapalapa’s Cityhall
Rosemary Bechler, Editor of Open Democracy
Ross Andrew, Professor of Political Science, New York University
Rui Tavares, LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar, Portugal
Rutger Groot, Alderman of Amsterdam City Council
Ruth Verde Zein, Architect, São Paulo, Brazil
Samia Bonfim, MP, PSOL, Brazil
Sandro Mezzadra, Professor of Political Science, University of Bologne
Sara Saleri, Professor of Philosophy and Communication, University of Bologne
Saskia Sassen, Sociologist
Selekos Dimitrios, Teacher, Chair of the SIELBE association, Greece
Shalmali Guttal, Executive Director, Focus on the Global South, India
Sian Berry, Councilor in the Greater London Assembly
Sigrid Gareis, Secretary General of the Akademie der Künste der Welt (World Art Academy), Cologne
Silvana Almaraz Reyes, Jóvenes ante la Emergencia Nacional, Mexico
Sixtine van Outryve, Sociologist and municipalist
Ska Keller, Green spokesperson in the European Parliament
Sonia Fayman, Sociologist
SOSte to Neró, Initiative against water privatization, Thessaloniki
Srecko Horvat, Philosopher, writer and activist
Steve Early, Member of Richmond (CA) Progressive Alliance
Steve Rushton, Journalist, UK
Susan George, Political Scientist
Sylvie Ducatteau, Councillor of Aubervilliers, France
Tariq Ali, Historian, UK
Tatiana Roque, Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tchenna Maso, Lawyer and activist, Brazil
Thomas Coutrot, Economist
Thomas Piketty, Professor of economics at the Paris School of Economics
Toni Negri, Sociologist and philosopher
Valery Alzaga, Union organizer, UK
Vandana Shiva, Researcher and ecofeminist
Vijay Prashad, Director, Tricontinental Institute for Social Research.
Vlado Mirosevic, MP, Partido Liberal, Frente Amplio, Chile
We Brussels, Municipalist platform, Brussels
Winnie Wong, Activist and Founder of People for Bernie
Working Families Party, Political party, USA
Yanis Varoufakis, Economist
Yiorgos Archontopoulos, Water rights activist, SOSte to NERO, Thessaloniki
Yves Sintomer, Professor of Political Science, University of Paris 8
Zagreb je NAŠ! (Zagreb és nostra!), Municipalist platform, Zagreb, Croatia