This document discusses the rise of distributed citizen organizing and platforms across Europe in response to issues like austerity, the refugee crisis, and corrupt political establishments. It provides examples like Podemos in Spain, which organized in response to high unemployment, and Right2Water in Ireland, a national campaign against water privatization that expanded into a broader policy platform. The document advocates a distributed model where independent groups focus on their own issues but support each other, and work to counter corporate media influence and connect movements internationally.

1. Eugene Flynn @eugeneflynn
Distributed organising
from community action to national
political movement

2. Perspectives
Our enemies have a global outlook
and we’re fighting in corners
Eugene Flynn @eugeneflynn

3. ANTI ESTABLISHMENT SHAM
BREXIT
TRUMP
AND ALL THOSE OTHER F**KERS

4. VICTORIES EMBOLDENING OTHERS
MARIE LE PEN - FRANCE
NORBERT HOFER – AUSTRIA
NEO NAZIS - SLOVENIA

5. SPAIN
Guanyem ('Let's win…)
Rise of Citizen Platforms

6. 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.

7. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
SPAIN 2011
21.3% unemployed, highest in Europe
15M - about 8 million people participated
Podemus
Citizen Leaks expose corrupt bankers and politicians

8. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
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

9. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
CITIZEN MANDATE
30,000 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

10. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
DISTRIBUTED
Collectives 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

11. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
CURRENTLY
Also 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.

12. IRELAND
BANK CRISIS
IRELAND PAYING €9000 EACH
AVERAGE IN EU IS €132

13. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
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

14. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
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

15. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
RIGHT2WATER
NATIONAL UMBRELLA
THREE PILLARS
• Trade unions
• Political parties and representatives
• Communities
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Almost: The campaign launch attracted every
national media outlet and only received 1/16th
of a column in a regional newspaper.

16. In a few weeks online & offline mobilisation lead to
70,000 online petition signatures
100,000 people protest in Dublin
AND THEN

17. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
THE BATTLE
Water fairies
Continued biased media reporting
Arrest of key protestors
Continued local and national protests
Government made concessions, but not enough

18. 54 DEGREES @eugeneflynn eugeneflynn@54degrees.com 18
RIGHT2CHANGE
Expanding Right2Water into a broader range of issues
HOUSING
JOBS
EDUCATION
DEBT JUSTICE
DEMOCRATIC REFORM
ECONOMICS
EDUCATION
EQUALITY
HEALTH
NATIONAL RESOURCES
WATER
SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

19. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
RIGHT2CHANGE
Broader 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

20. NEARLY THERE
NEXT PROTEST
DUBLIN APRIL 8TH

21. JAFAR DESIGNS STUDIO
THANKS FOR LISTENING
EUGENEFLYNN@54DEGREES.COM
@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