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, 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 3 March 1974) is a Spanish activist and politician. She was the Mayor of Barcelona from 2015 to 2023. On 13 June 2015, she became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Barcelona. She was part of a group called Barcelona En Comú. Colau also helped start the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH). This group began in Barcelona in 2009. It helped people who were struggling with their home loans after the 2008 financial crisis.
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Early Life and Background
Ada Colau was born in Barcelona, Spain. She grew up in the Guinardó neighborhood. She studied philosophy at the University of Barcelona. She did not finish her degree. She also spent time studying in Milan, Italy, through the Erasmus program.
Colau has two children with her partner, Adrià Alemany Salafranca. She speaks Catalan and Spanish, which are her native languages. She also speaks Italian very well.
She joined a group that helped people in need in Gaza in 2024.
Helping People with Homes
Ada Colau was one of the people who started the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) in 2009. She was a main spokesperson for this group until 2014. The PAH worked to help people who were facing eviction from their homes.
Colau also wrote a book called Mortgaged Lives. This book shares her experiences from working with the PAH. It shows how she helped people through community action.
Becoming Mayor of Barcelona
In May 2014, Ada Colau left her role as spokesperson for the PAH. In June 2014, she started a new group called Barcelona en Comú. This group ran in the Barcelona city elections in May 2015. Barcelona en Comú won the most seats in the election. On 13 June 2015, Ada Colau became the Mayor of Barcelona.
She ran for mayor again in 2019. Her group came in second place but she was still able to form a government and continue as Mayor. However, her party did not win the majority in the 2023 election.
During her time as mayor, Colau worked to make empty homes available for people who needed them. More than 2,000 homes that banks owned and had been empty for years could be used as social housing.
Protecting the Environment
As mayor, Ada Colau worked to reduce pollution and help the environment. She was against expanding the El Prat airport. She also wanted fewer private cars in the city. She encouraged regional leaders to limit the number of cruise ships coming to Barcelona.
In 2020, she declared a "climate emergency" in the city. She suggested eating less meat in schools. She also stopped city council members from using the Barcelona-Madrid air shuttle. Colau believed that airplanes create harmful gases that are "very dangerous for the planet."
Improving Health and Well-being
Even though cities usually have less power over health, Ada Colau's team made mental health a top priority. They created a plan for mental health from 2016 to 2022. This plan included many projects. It led to new places where people could get help, like the Konsulta'm centers.
Some of her ideas, like a phone number for suicide prevention, were even used by the national government. Barcelona also worked with businesses and workers to improve mental health at work. They started programs to help young children learn "emotional muscles" in schools. They also opened childcare centers in the evenings. This helped grandparents who were looking after their grandchildren.
Superblocks in the City
During her time as mayor, she strongly supported the idea of superilles (which means 'superblocks'). These are groups of city blocks where the inner streets are made for walking. This means fewer cars and more space for people. The first superblocks were set up in the Sant Antoni neighborhood in 2016. They were also built in the Eixample and Sant Martí areas.
She also started a project to connect the two tramway networks in Barcelona. This project is along Avinguda Diagonal. The first part of this connection opened in November 2024.
Views on Catalonia and Europe
Colau has said that she is not a nationalist or pro-independence. She was initially against the idea of a referendum vote for Catalan independence. However, she later said a vote could happen. After the referendum, she took a middle position. She did not support a full declaration of independence. She also did not support the government taking over Catalonia's self-rule. She believes in working towards a "democratic, social, and freedom-loving European project."
Awards
- 2013 - Award for Human Rights, Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival
- 2013 - Award for Defenders of Social Rights, given to Ada Colau and Rafael Mayoral. This was for their work with the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH). It recognized their fight for the right to a decent home. It also praised their ability to get people involved and their example of helping others. This award was from "Human Journalism" media.
- 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
