Ocupar as ruas e as instituições: a participação popular, a ocupação dos espaços institucionais e o direito à cidade

Abstract

This research is grounded in the current discourse and conflict regarding the experiences of new forms of organization, mobilization, demand, and political reform. These debates arise when the formal democratic structure begins losing legitimacy, becoming discredited and emptied, especially in institutionalized spaces of popular participation. We attempted to focus the discussion on the possibility of connecting the ideas of participation and collaboration beyond what is currently permitted institutionally. This is done to expand participation and establish essential dialogue, leading to synergistic working and performing methods, especially concerning the right to the city. In the current context, the power of financial capital and the real estate sector demonstrates the elites’ dominance on urban planning policies. These policies are driven by market mechanisms, which prioritize maximum profit without concern for the social and redistributive benefits of a collaborative approach to urban planning. The increase in unemployment and informal employment rates, along with the housing deficit, the periphery of the housing, the spread of the city and urban mobility, especially for the lowest classes, makes facing the right to the city, urbanized land, decent and safe housing, job opportunities and alternative economies in central regions essential. In this sense, implementing alternative and insurgent practices and participation that confront this uneven and predatory development model can be one of the ways to change urban reality. These practices must include different classes and social groups in decision-making processes that are more egalitarian. Thus, the research aimed to investigate the possibilities of expanding popular participation and the gains brought about by a collective construction of policies between social movements and institutionality, mainly related to the city’s rights. This investigation started by analyzing the institutional political space occupation by a legislative mandate considered collective, open, and popular in Belo Horizonte. This mandate is called Gabinetona, a feminine noun that reinforces that it is intended to give voice to feminist struggles in policies developed inside and outside the Belo Horizonte City Hall. The mandate team comprises activists and members of social movements, bringing to the debate the question of complementarity between direct action and institutional struggle. However, it is believed that it is not enough to occupy institutions; we must also recreate them. By including women, racialized Brazilians, indigenous people, youths, street workers, and the LGBTQIA+ population in parliament, the team’s composition reflects the mandate’s proposal and reinforces that representativeness matters in this political debate space. As a methodology, the research included bibliographic research to construct the theoretical framework and data collection through three stages: documentary research, participant observation, and interviews. The relevance of the research is that it can systematize part of an experience considered innovative in the legislative power of Belo Horizonte. This is especially evident since the mandate proposes opening new channels of popular participation to democratize decision-making processes and prioritize popular demands.