Ada Colau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ada Colau
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Colau in 2022
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| 118th Mayor of Barcelona | |
| In office 13 June 2015 – 17 June 2023 |
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| Deputy | Gerardo Pisarello (2015–2019) Jaume Collboni (2019–2023) |
| Preceded by | Xavier Trias |
| Succeeded by | Jaume Collboni |
| Member of the Barcelona City Council | |
| In office 13 June 2015 – 25 October 2024 |
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| Succeeded by | Jordi Rabassa |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ada Colau Ballano
3 March 1974 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Political party | Barcelona en Comú (2014–present) Catalunya en Comú (2017–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (2009–present) |
| Domestic partner | Adriá Alemany Salafranca |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | activist, writer, politician |
| Signature |  |
Ada Colau Ballano, born on March 3, 1974, is a well-known activist and politician from Catalonia, Spain. She served as the Mayor of Barcelona from 2015 to 2023. On June 13, 2015, she made history by becoming the first woman to be elected Mayor of Barcelona. She was part of a citizen group called Barcelona En Comú.
Before becoming mayor, Ada Colau was a key founder and spokesperson for the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH). This group started in Barcelona in 2009. It helped people who were struggling to pay their home loans, especially after the financial crisis in 2008.
Contents
Ada Colau's Early Life and Background
Ada Colau was born and grew up in the Guinardó neighborhood of Barcelona. She attended local schools before going on to study philosophy at the University of Barcelona. She left her studies before finishing, due to financial difficulties her family faced. She also spent time studying in Milan, Italy, as part of the Erasmus program.
Ada Colau has two children with her partner, Adrià Alemany Salafranca. Besides her native languages, Catalan and Spanish, she also speaks fluent Italian. In 2024, she joined a group sailing to Gaza to protest the lack of food for people there during the conflict.
Helping People with Housing: The PAH
Ada Colau was one of the first people to start the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) in 2009. She was the main spokesperson for this organization until 2014. She became well-known across Spain for her strong advocacy for people's housing rights.
The PAH used public protests, sometimes outside the homes of government officials, to draw attention to the housing crisis. Ada Colau also co-authored a book called Mortgaged Lives. This book shares her experiences working with the PAH and helping people directly.
Becoming Mayor of Barcelona
In May 2014, Ada Colau stepped down as the PAH spokesperson. The next month, she helped create Barcelona en Comú, a new citizen group. This group ran in the Barcelona city elections in May 2015. Barcelona en Comú won the most seats, and Ada Colau became Mayor on June 13, 2015. She was the first woman to hold this important position.
She ran for mayor again in 2019 and was re-elected. However, her party did not win the majority in the 2023 Barcelona municipal election, and her term as mayor ended in June 2023.
Key Initiatives as Mayor
During her time as mayor, Ada Colau worked on several important projects for Barcelona:
- Housing for All: In 2018, she helped pass a law that allowed the city to take over empty homes owned by banks. This meant more than 2,000 unoccupied homes could be used as affordable housing for people who needed it.
- Protecting the Environment: Colau focused on reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. She opposed expanding the city's airport and limiting private cars. She also pushed for fewer cruise ships to visit Barcelona. In 2020, she declared a "climate emergency" for the city.
- Mental Health Support: Even though public health is usually managed by regions, Ada Colau's team made mental health a top priority for Barcelona residents, especially young people. They created a plan with many initiatives, including new support centers and a suicide prevention phone line.
- Superblocks (Superilles): She strongly supported the idea of "superblocks." These are groups of city blocks where inner streets are closed to cars and become pedestrian-friendly areas. This creates more green spaces and safer places for people to walk and play. The first superblocks were set up in the Sant Antoni neighborhood in 2016.
- Improving Public Transport: During her second term, she started the project to connect Barcelona's two tram networks along Avinguda Diagonal. The first part of this connection opened in November 2024.
Views on Catalan Independence and Europe
Ada Colau has said that she is not a nationalist or someone who supports independence for Catalonia. She was initially against the idea of a referendum vote on independence. However, she later supported the idea of a vote after pressure from groups who wanted independence. After the referendum in 2017, she took a middle ground. She did not support a sudden declaration of independence, nor did she support the Spanish government taking over Catalonia's self-government. She believes in working towards a democratic and social European project.
Awards and Recognition
Ada Colau and the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) have received several awards for their work:
- 2013 - Award for Human Rights, Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival
- 2013 - Award for Defenders of Social Rights, from "Human Journalism" media. This award recognized their ongoing fight for the right to a decent home and their ability to encourage citizen participation and solidarity.
- 2013 - European Citizens' Prize (with the PAH)
- 2013 - United Women Prize from the Artistas Intérpretes, Sociedad de Gestión (AISGE).
See also
In Spanish: Ada Colau para niños
