- Citizens – Party of the Citizenry
Infobox_Catalan_Political_Party
party_name = Ciutadans - Partit de la Ciutadania
colorcode = orange
party_
president =Albert Rivera
general_secretary =Manuel García Bofill
foundation =June 7 ,2005
(CC)
March 4 ,2006
(C's)
ideology =Left-wing politics ,
antinationalism ,
Social liberalism ,Laicism [ [http://www.ciutadans-ciudadanos.net/blogs.php?id_pagina=48&id_post=125] ]
headquarters = Plaça Urquinaona, 6 10º A
08010Barcelona
colours = Orange andWhite
members =
european parliament group = "None"
international = "None"
website = [http://www.ciudadanos-cs.org/ www.ciudadanos-cs.org]
The Citizens – Party of the Citizenry (Ciutadans – Partit de la Ciutadania in Catalan, in Spanish Ciudadanos – Partido de la Ciudadanía; short acronym "C's") is a Spanish political party which describes itself as Centre-Left and Non-Nationalist [ [http://www.ciutadans-ciudadanos.net/congreso/IDEARIO_A4.pdf] ] .Those opposed to this new party, especially within
Catalan nationalism , claim that "Ciutadans" actually represents a repackagedSpanish nationalism . [ [http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/spip.php?article5308] [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/elpporopi/20061112elpepiopi_3/Tes/caso/Ciutadans] ] [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/elpporopi/20061103elpepiopi_6/Tes/Paradojas/catalanas] ]"Ciutadans" is currently led by
Albert Rivera ."Ciutadans" was formed in Catalonia in July 2006 in response to the call made in a manifesto by a group of Catalan intellectuals critics with
Catalan nationalism asking for a new political party to "address the real problems faced by the general public". In this manifesto, they also warned that "the rhetoric of hatred promulgated by official Catalan government media against everything 'Spanish' is more alarming than ever" and that "the (Catalan) nation, postulated as an homogenous entity, has taken occupation of the space where an undeniably diverse society lives". [ [http://www.ciutadansdecatalunya.com/pdf/eng.pdf Manifesto signed by some intellectuals which preceded the formation of the party] ] Particular topics cited by C's militants are the laws that promote the use of Catalan in Catalonia also by enforcing State education being taught only in Catalan. The party is dedicated "to contributing fresh ideas, to impel new policies and to restore a sense of reality to Catalan and Spanish political policy after years of Basque and Catalan ultra-nationalism". Other topics include a vast reform onSpanish electoral system , andSpanish constitution , as well as regulation of prostitution,marihuana andeuthanasia . In its first elections it managed to obtain three deputies at the regionalParliament of Catalonia with 3.04% of the vote.The vast majority of Ciutadans' affiliated members are ex-socialist party members or ex-socialist votersFact|date=December 2007 and its electoral support is strongest (up to 7%) in the mainly Spanish-speaking working-class
Barcelona metropolitan area .tatus
Ciutadans' meetings have been picketed and its militants harassed by Catalan independentist groups on several occasions [ [http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/06/05/espana/1149535287.html Agreden al periodista Arcadi Espada en un acto de Ciutadans de Catalunya en Girona contra el Estatut | elmundo.es ] ] while its leader Albert Rivera has received anonymous death threats urging him to quit politics. [ [http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/279725/0/presidente/ciutadans/amenazado/ El presidente de Ciutadans, amenazado de muerte por "luchar contra el nacionalismo" - 20minutos.es ] ] [ [http://www.elmundo.es/papel/2007/09/22/espana/2210168.html Albert Rivera es amenazado de muerte para que deje la política / EL MUNDO ] ] [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/presidente/Ciutadans/denuncia/haber/recibido/amenazas/muerte/elpepiesp/20070922elpepinac_8/Tes El presidente de Ciutadans denuncia haber recibido amenazas de muerte · ELPAÍS.com ] ] [ [http://www.lavanguardia.es/lv24h/20070921/53396278806.html Albert Rivera denuncia amenazas de muerte para que deje su política "contra el nacionalismo"- Lavanguardia.es - Noticias, actualidad, última hora en Cataluña y España ] ] .
Ciutadans complains about the fact that, despite its representation at the regional parliament, its presence at the
public broadcaster TV3 is virtually vetoed. In this regard, they cite that over the three months spanning april-june 2008, the party only appeared for a total of 23 seconds in this public TV channel, less than, say, some non Catalan parties [ [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cataluna/CAC/pide/regule/publicidad/institucional/elpepiespcat/20081009elpcat_9/Tes/] ] .Although the party was created in Catalonia as "a response to Catalan nationalism", additional branches have sprung out in the rest of Spain.
ee also
Languages of Catalonia External links
* [http://www.ciutadans-ciudadanos.com/ Ciutadans - Partido de la Ciutadania's web site]
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