The municipal project B-MINCOME wins the 2024 Innovation in Politics award in the Local Development category

3rd May 2024

The award ceremony took place at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, within the framework of the European Capital of Democracy

On the evening of May 2nd, the award ceremony for the 2024 Innovation in Politics Awards took place. The awards recognize bold and creative public initiatives from across Europe that have a positive impact on people's lives and strengthen democracy. The project B-MINCOME from the Barcelona City Council, which is an integrated approach to fighting poverty combining financial support with active socio-labor inclusion policies, won the award in the Local Development category. A total of 314 projects were submitted from 26 countries, of which 70 reached the final stage. A citizen jury, composed of over a thousand citizens from across Europe, selected the projects based on criteria of innovation, sustainability, and impact.

"We, as city councils, are the closest administration that allows citizens to participate in public affairs, and therefore, we can say that cities are at the forefront of democracy. This is particularly important in the European Union, where cities like Barcelona play a prominent role in ensuring that values are prioritized in political decision-making, and where the distance between decisions and citizens is increasingly reduced," explained Maria Eugènia Gay, Deputy Mayor for Social Rights, Culture, Education, and Life Cycles of the Barcelona City Council, during the welcome speech at the gala.

The event also featured the attendance of the Vice President for Democracy and Demography of the European Commission, Dubravka Šuica: "Democracy is a dynamic concept and it is important that we celebrate the importance of innovation in democracy. Therefore, the democratic institutions that underpin democracy must also evolve. Democracy thrives on the ability of citizens to contribute and participate at all levels of governance. We must make full use of the dynamic space that exists between elections and properly harness its potential."

European Capital of Democracy

Barcelona was named by the Innovation in Politics Institute as the first European Capital of Democracy (ECoD) on January 18, 2023. The technical office is formed by the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB) and has a duration of one year (September 2023 - October 2024). Thus, Barcelona and its metropolitan region, as the European Capital of Democracy, host a series of events, conferences, and activities related to democratic innovation and citizen participation, but also to culture, education, and public space. The ECoD aims to establish a space for reflection and high visibility where the citizens of Europe can meet, engage, experience new forms of participatory and inclusive democracy in collective action, and be inspired by a comprehensive program designed to advance democracy and build or rebuild trust in it.

Throughout the program year, various topics intersecting with democracy are addressed, such as technology, culture, education, video games, climate challenges, and fundamental rights.

The Innovation in Politics Institute

The Innovation in Politics Awards are presented and organized by The Innovation in Politics Institute, an institution founded in 2017 with headquarters in Vienna and Berlin, and representation in 15 European countries. Its aim is to identify, develop, and apply innovations in politics and facilitate the exchange of best practices across borders.

• Consult the complete list of winners here