Right2 water, Eugene Flynn

Eugene Flynn @eugeneflynn

Distributed organisingfrom community action to

national political movement

Perspectives Our enemies have a global

outlook and we’re fighting in corners

Eugene Flynn @eugeneflynn

ANTI ESTABLISHMENT SHAM

BREXITTRUMP

AND ALL THOSE OTHER F**KERS

VICTORIES EMBOLDENING OTHERS

MARIE LE PEN - FRANCE NORBERT HOFER – AUSTRIA

NEO NAZIS - SLOVENIA

SPAIN Guanyem ('Let's

win…)Rise of Citizen Platforms

JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO

REFUGEE CRISIS

Part of the huge march in Barcelona. The banner is directed at politicians, it reads "No more excuses, welcome them now"

(Pic: @cupnacional) Source: Socialist Worker

This is what a refugee crisis looks like in Spain.

“NO MORE EXCUSES WELCOME THEM NOW”160,000 people march in Barcelona to demand that the Government welcomes more refugees.


SPAIN 2011

21.3% unemployed, highest in Europe

15M - about 8 million people participated

Podemus

Citizen Leaks expose corrupt bankers and politicians


BARCELONA EN COMÚ

(Catalan for Barcelona in Common)

Citizen platform

Born from existing political movements like Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) and 15M

A united progressive electoral list to stand at the 2015 municipal elections

Currently running a minority control over Barcelona


CITIZEN MANDATE30,000 signatures of support for its initial manifesto

Neighborhood chats across the city

Politicians chosen by the people

Leaders talk about we not me

Can be removed if they become corrupted

Citizen Assemblies


DISTRIBUTEDCollectives and movements operate independently

Training provided by collectives in digital mobilization

Mobilize together online

• Social media hacking• Media hacking

Mobilize together offline

• Call to the streets

Expanding to other countries

Working with movements across Europe & USA


CURRENTLYAlso set up in a number of other Spanish cities, including Madrid, Malaga, Terrassa, Hospitalet and Seville.

Madrid city wants to invest in social infrastructure

Government has veto on city budgets

Cities joining together to resist the state and take control of their own budgets.

IRELAND

BANK CRISISIRELAND PAYING €9000 EACH

AVERAGE IN EU IS €132


AUSTERITY MEASURES

Photo by turgidson

Neoliberal IMF bailout program

• Public Service cuts• Disability cuts • Lone parents cuts• Poorest in society targeted

Tax increases just to pay off bank debt

Privatization agenda

Fracking licences granted

Former Taoiseach consulting with a Canadian firm to buy our state forests


IRISH WATER

WATER IS A HUMAN RIGHT

Photo by turgidson

Felt they are already paying for water through general taxation

Saw it as privatization masked as conservation

Local - Started in local communities refusing access to meter installers in their neighborhoods

Minimal media coverage with 5,000 people marching in Dublin going virtually unreported in mainstream media

Government introduced a centralized water management service

Introduced water meters amid controversy around the tender process


RIGHT2WATERNATIONAL UMBRELLA

THREE PILLARS

• Trade unions• Political parties and representatives• Communities

IMMEDIATE IMPACTAlmost: The campaign launch attracted every national media outlet and only received 1/16th of a column in a regional newspaper.

In a few weeks online & offline mobilisation lead to

70,000 online petition signatures

100,000 people protest in Dublin

AND THEN


THE BATTLEWater fairies

Continued biased media reporting

Arrest of key protestors

Continued local and national protests

Government made concessions, but not enough

54 DEGREES @eugeneflynn [email protected]

18

RIGHT2CHANGEExpanding Right2Water into a broader range of issues

HOUSING

JOBS

EDUCATION

DEBT JUSTICE

DEMOCRATIC REFORM

ECONOMICS

EDUCATION

EQUALITY

HEALTH

NATIONAL RESOURCES

WATER

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT


RIGHT2CHANGEBroader policy framework

Discussed with community groups

Consensus reached among main pillars

100 candidates in general election

Candidates elected to Parliament

2/3rds of TDs in favour of abolishing water charges

Water Commission set up to decide

Recommend a referendum

ELECTION PLATFORM

NEARLY THERE

NEXT PROTEST DUBLIN APRIL 8TH


THANKS FOR LISTENING

[email protected]

@EUGENEFLYNN

Lead with hope rather than fear

Think Big

Own the space where people are frustrated with mainstream politics

Support a distributed network where people focus on their own preferred issues but support each other when needed

Develop strategies to take on corporate media and create your own narrative

Connect movements across country boundaries

Right2 water, Eugene Flynn

Environment

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