This Friday, September 15, marks International Democracy Day. According to the United Nations, which established it in 2007, this celebration is an opportunity to remember that democracy must be centered on people. From the highest global body, democracy is both a process and a goal, and only with the full participation and support of the international community, governments, civil society, and individuals can the ideal of democracy become a reality for everyone to enjoy everywhere.
In Europe, we are aware that we live in times when threats to democracy are very present. The supposed lessons from the tumultuous 20th century have not served to prevent new wars, the rise to power of leaders with authoritarian tendencies, or the widespread surge of parties representing the legacy of fascism on our continent.
Once again, cities often differentiate themselves from states and are generally configured as spaces of resistance against these trends. Not in vain, local power is the closest to citizens and their actors and, therefore, is more subject to scrutiny beyond electoral appointments.
Cities, moreover, are largely laboratories for the development of new instruments of participation and new forms of governance that help strengthen democracy. In recent decades, the transition from deliberative democracy to a more participatory democracy has found a fertile field of experimentation in local governments: participatory budgets, citizen assemblies, policy co-creation processes, citizen laboratories, citizen science projects, etc.
Cities, moreover, are largely laboratories for the development of new instruments of participation and new forms of governance that help strengthen democracyEven so, as the United Nations says, at the local level too, both objectives and processes must be taken care of, putting people at the center and, we add, never take for granted that democracy cannot take steps backward in societies like ours. We must work and pay permanent attention to the signals we may pick up of weakening democratic mechanisms. And today, some can be identified.
A quite current case can be found in lawfare, that is, in the systematic use of the judicial system to confront political decisions. Democracy, indeed, is based on the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers and mutual control among them, but when one is used to indiscriminately block any of the others, as this constant judicialization of politics shows us, we begin to have a problem of delegitimization.
A delegitimization that, in general, has already become quite established in the collective imagination regarding the people who politically represent us, as can be seen from the CIS surveys, which show that distrust in political parties is progressively growing. One only needs to take a look at the accounts of public officials on certain social networks to realize the extent to which this distrust can transform into anger (networks are not reality, but they are a thermometer that must be taken into account). Going a few steps further, just before the municipal elections, the newspaper Ara reported on the situation of mayors who were victims of constant harassment (virtual and real, even towards their family environment) by neighbors dissatisfied with their decisions. Sometimes, proximity can also turn against democratic practices.
The culture of agreement, despite having been more frequent at the local level than at higher levels of government, is also an area in which we need to make adequate progress. The fragmentation of the political map means having to rely on multi-colored governments, and what cannot work well in any way are coalition governments with watertight compartments depending on which party commands each management area, much less the parallel execution of incompatible programs.
These circumstances are especially worrying at a time when, as we know, often controversial measures will have to be pushed through if challenges such as the climate emergency are to be decisively tackled. In this sense, one of the great challenges for local democracy once the new municipal mandate is underway lies in the essential collaboration at the metropolitan level. Because, what good is it for one municipality to take a series of measures to advance in the reduction of emissions, no matter how participatory the way of doing it has been, if the neighboring municipality does not?
One of the great challenges for local democracy once the new municipal mandate is underway lies in the essential collaboration at the metropolitan levelThis need for coordination is not new. Externalities generated by legitimate decisions of one municipality that affect those in the surrounding area have been and are of many types. From the 90s, for example, the proliferation of large commercial areas in Catalonia met in some regional capitals with the opposition of city councils, merchant organizations, and a good part of the citizenry, with the result that these facilities were installed in the neighboring municipality, generating the same impact on the small businesses of the capital and without the counterpart for the latter of the corresponding taxes. Then, who and how should participate in local decision-making when the interrelationships between municipalities are as evident as in a metropolitan environment? Unfortunately, we do not yet have an answer to this question in our house.
Being part of a global economy also entails great challenges for urban democracy, in the sense that often the safeguarding of the interests and needs of investors, visitors or occasional inhabitants who contribute to generating economic activity takes precedence over those of the citizenry, precisely with the argument of the need to generate wealth and jobs. The case of the housing market is an example that does not require much more explanation.
In short, involvement and effort on the part of civil society and citizens in general are necessary to maintain good levels of democratic quality, and from the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB), as a space that brings together administrations and a representation of civil society in our metropolis, we are committed, as always, to this path.
Involvement and effort on the part of civil society and citizens in general are necessary to maintain good levels of democratic qualityIn this context, on January 18, Barcelona was chosen among a dozen cities on our continent as European Capital of Democracy, from a candidacy jointly presented by the Directorate of Democratic Innovation of the Barcelona City Council and the PEMB itself. This distinction, awarded by The Innovation in Politics Institute with the support of Council of Europe and of the European Commission, is a recognition of Barcelona's commitment and effort to promote an active and inclusive democracy.
The European Capital of Democracy (ECoD) is a European initiative that seeks to generate a public reference framework and a citizen debate around democracy and its current challenges. It is about fostering citizen participation, making successful experiences visible, and doing so in multiple formats and through various disciplines, and to exercise the will to improve our democracies, jointly with citizens, civil society, political representatives, and institutions.
The European Capital of Democracy is a European initiative that seeks to generate a public reference framework and a citizen debate around democracy and its current challengesFor one year, the best practices in democratic participation and innovation will be presented at different events in the city and its metropolitan area. In this sense, and in cooperation with civil society and citizens, the aim is to strengthen democracy, acting as catalysts for democratic development, providing a space for democratic innovation and exchange and showing the potential path for improving forms of democratic participation and citizen empowerment.
The mission of the European Capital of Democracy is also to strengthen democracy in different areas: economic, technological, ecological, and social. With this capital status, therefore, Barcelona wants to address the most urgent challenges we currently face, such as persistent inequalities, the growth of hate speech and disinformation, digitalization without safeguards, and the climate crisis. Innovative projects in participation will also be launched for both the city and at a metropolitan scale.
Furthermore, with the metropolitan region also committed to promoting democracy and citizen empowerment, the ECoD will have an expanded impact beyond the city's borders. Metropolitan collaboration will be key to the success of this initiative and will offer the opportunity to share good practices with other regions in Europe. Barcelona will therefore seek to establish connections with other European cities and organizations, which will allow sharing experiences and working together to improve forms of democratic participation and foster digital democracy.
Metropolitan collaboration will be key to the success of this initiative and will offer the opportunity to share good practices with other regions in EuropeBetween September 2023 and October 2024, a series of events, conferences, European and international activities linked to democratic innovation and citizen participation, but also to culture, education and public space, will be hosted. During this year, in addition, the network of cities formed by those who passed the first selection, will hold a series of meetings to share relevant and innovative experiences and practices in the promotion of democracy at the municipal level.
The kick-off of the capital status, with the presentation of its program, will take place this Thursday, September 14, one day before the International Day of Democracy.
In summary, Barcelona and its metropolitan region are prepared to take on the challenge of being a benchmark in promoting an active, inclusive, and participatory democracy. With this capital status, a unique opportunity opens up to advance democratic policies at the local and European level, and to inspire other communities to work together for a better future for all.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.