JINHA

NEWS CENTER – With left women candidates winning mayoral posts in Spain's two biggest cities, people have taken to the streets across Spain to celebrate a victory in the country's crucial local elections.

Manuela Carmena in Madrid and Ada Colau in Barcelona have won municipal leadership in a victory for Spain's movement for local democracy and social justice. In the autonomous region of Valencia, Mónica Oltra Jarque has become the first female president of the region. All three women ran with coalition parties of local left movements—Barcelona en Comú, Ahora Madrid and Compromís in Valencia.

41-year-old Ada Colau, candidate for Barcelona en Comú, became famous for her work with the PAH—the grassroots group for victims of the housing crisis that has fought for social housing in Spain with anti-eviction direct action. Ada ran on a ten-point platform of making Barcelona an example around the world as a just and democratic city. She plans to work for an end to the economic inequality, expensive utility costs and housing evictions that have destroyed the city over the last few years. Ada dedicated her victory to "the common people and ordinary citizens" who have rarely had political and economic power.

In Madrid, 71-year-old retired Supreme Court Justice Manuela Carmena, running with Ahora Madrid, beat out the right-wing male candidate for the mayoral position of Spain's capital. She is known for her decades of work as a lawyer and judge. She has advocated for justice for Basque victims of police torture and workers targeted by Franco's regime, as well as spearheading corruption investigations.

In the autonomous region of Valencia, 45-year-old Mónica Oltra Jarque of ecological left coalition Compromís became the first president of the autonomous region. Meanwhile, the right-wing mayor of the city of Valencia, the country's third largest city, was shown the door by voters after 24 years in office.

(cm)