Citizens in power: the challenges

USPA NEWS - For the first time in the history of Spain, the citizens have taken to the municipal power in some big cities -Madrid and Barcelona among them- and in many medium and small size. Grouped in political parties and organizations born of economic crisis, they are facing challenges.

Called 'citizens' tides' that Saturday came to power in Madrid, Barcelona, Cadiz and other Spanish cities, to be elected mayors of those political and social currents, were born during the recent economic crisis that hit Spain in response to cases of political corruption, social inequality and the power of the banks. Leaders like the newly elected mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, were formed in those movements citizens and now face the challenge of fulfilling its promises.

Promises as ending evictions, put on mandatory rental thousands of empty properties in Spain, implement a basic social income for families without resources or reduce the police presence in the streets, among other measures contained in their electoral programs and which they had been included in them proposed citizens victims of the crisis. The mayor of Barcelona itself participated in the recent past in demonstrations against evictions and harassment actions judges, politicians and bankers who blamed the increasing impoverishment of the Spanish society. She and some of the councilors appointed to his team made statements, including during the election campaign of May 24, which can now compromise their work.

"Disobey laws that seem unfair," said Ada Colau recently. His government, she said on another occasion, it will not deal with banks evict people. A direct attack on the foundations of economic liberalism and the laws of Democracy. Ideas that shares the new mayor of Madrid, the former Judge Manuela Carmena, who two days after taking up office faces his first major institutional crisis. One of his council published four years ago few tweets in ridiculing the victims of terrorism and the Jews, comments now turn against him. Carmena not rule dismiss he, as required by the opposition as a whole.

But the first mayor of Barcelona goes further and announces the dismantling of the Riot Unit of the Guardia Urbana of Barcelona. Analysts polled by the Spanish media in recent days believe these ads are launching a wrong message to the people and undermine the democratic state itself. The same experts believe, however, that the management of municipalities governed by the 'citizens' tides´ will "be perfect" to the November elections.

They are based on the announcement by the leader of Podemos, the new political party that is behind many of the formations that have agreed to municipal power, Pablo Iglesias, his goal is to win the November elections and reach the palace Moncloa, headquarter of Government of Spain, for which he needs to convey moderation. Iglesias acknowledged that another objective of the training is to get the disappearance of Socialist Party (PSOE its acronym in Spanish) and take its place as a reference for the Spanish left.

The future is uncertain in Spain. Because Pablo Iglesias flirts with Basque separatists and after some Catalan mayors threat of secession appears. "It's time to win the elections [legislative] and we all achieve our goals," said Iglesias representatives of Basque separatists. "Barcelona will not be an obstacle for the independence process" of Catalonia, said Ada Colau, the new mayor of Barcelona nothing known his victory in local elections. "I'm not in favor of a unilateral declaration of independence," he added days later. "But that citizens talk."