Civil movements in Europe: from street protests to the political arena

Mediapool, H-Alert.org, Hot News, H-Alert.org, El Confidencial, November 11, 2025

Introduction

What do Romanian president Nicușor Dan, Zagreb mayor Tomislav Tomašević, and Sofia city councilor and leader of the Save Sofia party Boris Bonev have in common? All three began their political careers as civic activists.

The current Romanian president is the former leader of the Save Bucharest organization, which fought for years against controversial construction projects that threatened the green spaces and architectural heritage of the Romanian capital. Tomislav Tomašević is the former leader of an initiative fighting against the construction of an underground parking lot in the center of the Croatian capital.

Boris Bonev’s “Save Sofia” initiative began as a citizen initiative focused on the development of the Sofia metro and became an organization that contributed significantly to changing the political status quo in the Bulgarian capital.

Citizen initiatives in Europe often start as small, informal groups united around a specific issue. However, some of them turn into political projects that have an impact at the local and national levels.

Croatia: from “We won’t give up Varshavska” to city hall

In Croatia, civic associations have long been an important factor. They are often informal. People unite around issues related to urban planning, municipal and environmental issues, such as waste management.

But in Zagreb, civic activism has brought about real political change. Tomislav Tomašević is now in his second term as mayor of the city. He won the local elections in June this year with the support of the Social Democratic Party and “We Can!”. The two parties also hold a majority in the local parliament.

Before becoming mayor of Zagreb, Tomašević was one of the two leaders of the largest civic initiative in the last 30 years – “We won’t give up Varšavska”. Between 2006 and 2011, the organisation fought against the construction of a private underground car park in the city centre. Although the project was implemented, Tomašević’s organization put the management of public spaces and corruption in the municipality on the agenda.

Over time, the movement became a symbol of the fight to preserve the old part of Zagreb and protect the public interest. It gave rise to a number of politicians, including Teodor Celakoski, currently a member of the Zagreb City Council. Both he and Tomašević, who was also president of Croatia’s largest environmental organization, Zelena akcija (Green Action), are among the founders of the Možemo! (We Can!) party. The party now has representatives in the Croatian parliament.

The most significant result of the fight for public spaces, which began as a citizens’ initiative, was the adoption of the new Zagreb General Plan in September 2025. The document protects green spaces and historical values, eliminates many areas designated for construction in unsuitable locations, and creates new green spaces.

Civic initiatives in Croatia are funded in various ways – from small donations to project funding to European funds. When they are informal, they survive thanks to volunteer work and public support.

Bulgaria: between social networks and politics

In Sofia, it is difficult to count all the civic initiatives – most of them arise spontaneously around a specific issue. Some disappear with their cause, others become institutionalised, and others evolve into political projects.

The most notable example is Save Sofia – a movement that began more than a decade ago under the name Save the Metro. From an organization focused on urban transport, the group has become an active critic of the city administration. Social media has also contributed to its growing popularity. Save Sofia activists photographed poor-quality repairs and poorly designed projects and actively posted about them on social media.

Most emblematic was the renovation of the central Graf Ignatiev Street, which began and ended during Yordanka Fandakova’s second term as mayor of Sofia. Save Sofia was among the most vocal critics of the uneven pavement, wing-shaped barriers, and problems with the replacement of tram tracks.

In 2019, the leader of Save Sofia decided to move from civic activism to politics and ran in the local elections as an independent candidate for city councilor. He received a record 40,000 votes. Save Sofia officially became a political party.

“I had serious reservations about the decision to become a political party, but looking back, I think it was the right decision. The only way to achieve lasting results is to be on the side of the government. There were, of course, negative opinions, but they were very limited. However, it was important for us to preserve our civic roots, and that is why the essence of Save Sofia has not changed after we became a party, but has simply expanded,” Boris Bonev told Mediapool. He added that the party’s main goal is to propose “bold reforms, without worrying about whether we will be re-elected in four years.”

In 2023, Save Sofia, now officially a party, became part of the coalition that won the elections in the capital. Boris Bonev’s name was among those discussed as a candidate for mayor, but in the end, a coalition of several parties, including Save Sofia, supported the current mayor, Vasil Terziev, for the position. In April this year, Save Sofia left the government due to disagreements with the mayor.

To date, Boris Bonev is convinced that the mayor deliberately made it difficult for the party to participate in the government in order to force it to leave the coalition. “And the reason is clear: the mayor does not want to be held accountable and report, especially to political parties. We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria focus exclusively on national politics and have left Sofia to fend for itself. Only we have tried to draw attention to the city, its problems, and the need for bold and reformist measures, as well as a review of GERB’s governance,” said Boris Bonev. He recalled that even after leaving the governing coalition, the party continued to try to complete the reforms promised before the elections.

From local to national politics

Currently, Save Sofia is a local party. It has no representatives in the administrations of other cities, and the main issues it focuses on are mainly related to Sofia. However, Save Sofia is increasingly issuing statements on national issues and policies. But the plans are for the party to grow from a local to a national one.

“Save Sofia will sooner or later become Save Bulgaria. We have contacts with extremely sensitive and capable people in the regions, and our expertise in local politics can be a useful tool for these people in achieving results for the citizens of their municipalities,” said Boris Bonev, leader of Save Sofia.

According to him, local policies and the focus on them are “the key to building a modern and economically dynamic country.”

“Of course, this process cannot take place without partners, so we are ready to collaborate with anyone who wants more concrete results and fewer political confrontations,” Boris Bonev commented.

Informal civic activists

In addition, there are dozens, and probably hundreds, of other civic organizations operating in Sofia. Most are informal associations of citizens motivated by a specific issue. In recent weeks, the local initiative “Save the Boyana Marsh” has been very active, fighting for the conservation of the body of water at the foot of Vitosha Mountain. Public pressure, again mainly through social media, is currently forcing local authorities to claim that they are looking for a solution to the Boyana Marsh construction problem.

Previously, a civic association in Lagera managed to bring about a change in the controversial Balkanton building project in the Lagera neighborhood through pressure on social media and protests on the ground. Romania: when citizens reclaim their city

Romania is an example of how civil society can change the political structure itself

In his first years in office, Nicușor Dan will most likely be a negotiator rather than a major reformer of the political class

Romania is an example of how civil society can change the political structure itself. The country’s newly elected president, Nicușor Dan, comes from this very sector – he is the former leader of the Save Bucharest organization. Before becoming president, he worked in local government, most recently as mayor of the Romanian capital.

Nicușor Dan’s political career highlights the growing role of civic initiatives and mobilized citizens – not only in terms of local change, but also in transforming the political landscape.

Endemic corruption in the local administrations of Bucharest’s six districts has transformed institutions created to serve citizens into inefficient structures more concerned with the interests of construction entrepreneurs than with the needs of the community. Over the years, the authorities have allowed chaotic construction, which suffocates the city, leading to parking and traffic problems, to the detriment of green spaces. Citizens began to feel that the city no longer belonged to them.

In this context, civic groups began to multiply, trying to regain control of the city and give voice to local issues. Almost every neighborhood in Bucharest now has its own civic organization – and sometimes even more than one. All of them fight to protect the urban environment, preserve historical heritage, and promote sustainable development.

These include the IOR-Titan Initiative, which organized large-scale protests after 12 hectares of forest were illegally cut down; Prelungirea Ghencea, which improved infrastructure and parks in its neighborhood; and Favorit, thanks to which the Favorit cinema was revived as a cultural center.

Sergiu Mișcoiu: With Nicușor Dan in presidential palace, in the positive scenario, new generation of politicians could emerge, free from the influence of the old guard in the established parties

Spain: a tradition of activism, but declining participation

In Spain, civic initiatives have a long history, dating back to the 1960s, when the 1964 Law on Associations allowed for a limited form of public organization. In the 1970s, amid social change, civic movements became a voice for better quality of life.

Today, they continue to be a key driver of change—from environmental organizations to movements for housing justice and gender equality. In Madrid, the Madrid Central platform brings together neighborhood and environmental groups campaigning for cleaner air and sustainable transport.

Tenants’ associations have been particularly active in the last year, organizing national protests for rent caps and against short-term rental platforms. They not only protest, but also provide legal assistance to citizens facing eviction.

However, sociological studies show a decline in participation—only two in ten Spaniards are members of an association, and young people are showing less and less interest. This can be explained by a lack of interest, but also by a lack of information about the existence and activities of these organizations.

This article was created as part of the PULSE project, a European initiative that supports cross-border journalistic cooperation. It was written by: Zornitsa Lateva, Mediapool (Bulgaria), Gruia Dragomir, Hot News (Romania), Ana Somavilla, El Confidencial (Spain), Marina Kaleva – H-Alert.org (Croatia).

Photo: Voters in Bucharest celebrate Nicușor Dan’s victory in the May 2025 presidential election. (source: YouTube)

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