Urban Movement (Gylias)
Urban Movement | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Ideology | |
| Colours | Silver |
| Website | |
| http://www.um.gls/ | |
The Urban Movement (French reformed: Mouvement urbaine), abbreviated UM (MU), is a Gylian political party, part of the Non-inscrits bloc.
Established in 1961, it is the main political vehicle for demopolitanism in Gylian politics.
History
The UM was founded in 1961, as part of a proliferation of new parties after electoral reform. It formed as the political arm of the demopolitan movement; during its first electoral campaigns, some of its candidates simply produced copies of Jane Berger's The Death and Life of Great Cities as their manifesto.
It performed very well in the 1962 federal election, establishing itself as one of the largest non-inscrit parties.
Due to its preoccupation with organic urban development, it is seen as a forerunner to eco-socialism and the Green Party.
It was part of the Filomena Pinheiro government in the 1980s, and later supported the Mathilde Vieira government in the 1990s.
Ideology
The UM is a demopolitan party, notable in that its primarily emphasises cultivation of a cosmopolitan and localist character over policy.
Its platform is based on conventional demopolitan approaches to urbanism; as such, it includes advocacy of popular designing and planning, direct democracy — particularly communal assemblies and neighbourhood elections —, prioritising public transport over private car use, architectural conservation, and preserving an abundance of green space.
Due to its emphasis on urban issues, it occupies a self-described "agnostic" position on the political spectrum, and has been open to working with both the left and centre-right. It has notably close relations with its modern sister party the People's Party for a Flourishing Nightlife, its "rural" counterpart the Free Land Party, and the Green Party and Animal Protection Party, which share its concern for conservation and sustainability.
Symbols
The FLP uses a shade of silver as its official colour, meant to evoke the colour of modern buildings.
Popular support
The UM's support is concentrated in urban areas; it has no presence to speak of in rural areas. It is one of the largest parties in municipal elections, especially in urban municipalities.
A plurality of all mayors elected since 1958 have been UM candidates, or independents supported by the UM.
