Gesellschaftsspiele: The Art of Assembly XVI - SHIFTING POWER: WHEN GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS WIN ELECTIONS

When activist movements gain momentum, even win elections after many years of struggle and work on the ground, there is a lot of enthusiasm – but also larger-than-life expectations. A diverse electorate with often very different expectations demands immediate and fundamental shifts of politics. The parties once in power just wait for any opportunity to attack. The former establishment uses its long-knit networks to slow down any transition. And former allies accuse the elected representatives of their compromises. So, what does it actually mean to govern, to change structures, work with a large administration, include the political base, and accomplish concrete change?
Inspired by the impressive development of the Croatian movement “Možemo!” with its landslide victory in the Zagreb city elections in May 2021, in this edition of The Art of Assembly cultural worker activist and activist Teodor Celakoski describes the strategies used to achieve “Možemo!’s” success and talks about the difficulties to implement new policy. Artist, activist and former member of the Spanish parliament Marcelo Expósito gives insides in the struggles, achievements, and failures of Podemos and other citizens’ electoral organizations in Spain. Athena Athanasiou will reflect on the path the SYRIZA movement took after winning the general election in Greece in 2015.

“The Art of Assembly” is a nomadic series of lectures and conversations investigating and speculating about the potential of assemblies in activism, art and politics.
All former lectures and conversation, podcasts, videos and additional material can be found on the website https://art-of-assembly.net

The Art of Assembly series is based on Florian Malzacher. Parlor Games. Political Theater Today. Berlin: Alexander Verlag, 2020.

Curated by Florian Malzacher
The Art of Assembly – Gesellschaftsspiele, a series by Florian Malzacher and brut Wien, in cooperation with Münchner Kammerspiele, Wiener Festwochen, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (Berlin), BIT Teatergarasjen / METEOR 2021, NT Gent and Goethe Institut / Performing Architecture