The sudden rise on the Spanish political scene of Podemos, a radical political party based on the indignados 15M movement, will be the subject of discussion at the next Taking Soundings meeting in Leeds on Wednesday 26 November.
Despite being in existence for only seven months, and after performing well in the European elections in May 2014, Podemos is now the most popular party in Spain. Antonio Martínez-Arboleda, Principal Teaching Fellow in Spanish at the University of Leeds, will discuss the rise of Podemos and ask whether it can last.
Podemos has put a lot of emphasis on participation via social media. For example, its recent Citizens’ Assembly had 8,000 people attending in person, and 150,000 online.
So does Podemos offer a new model for the European left? Or is it just a populist flash-in-the-pan based on its charismatic intellectual leader, Pablo Iglesias (pictured above)?
Martínez-Arboleda’s talk will start at 6pm on Wednesday 26 November 2014 at Leeds Beckett University city centre campus: Broadcasting Place, A building, Room G10, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN (opposite the Fenton Pub).
Contact Matthew Caygill at m.caygill@leedsbeckett.ac.uk for more details.
—-
Read more about Leeds Taking Soundings events on its Facebook page.
The Leeds Taking Soundings website is here.
23 January 2016
I m trying to get in touch with a member of Podemos in Leeds who knows Clare Horner who lives in Meanwood. i have lost Clare’s address and she is not answering her mobile. She’s quite scatty at times!!!! She lives with Scott her partner and their two boys, Teddy and Jessie Guessing this is another reason to be on Facebook!!!
My name is Janet Beattie on 07931680450.
I m a member of Left Unity in York so yours in Solidarity
Janet