Protest cultures in France and Germany

The terms “right to the city” or “right of housing” are used as an action-programme by many contemporary urban social movements acting worldwide to define their actions. While Lefebvre criticized the post-industrial city, the contemporary organizations use the “right to the city” to face problems of the neo-liberal city. These movements protest against the gentrification of city centres, want more civil participation and public facilities or defend housing policies. I would like to compare some case studies from two European countries, Germany and France.

Germany has an important tradition of the protection of the tenants and supportive tenancy law. This has created powerful tenant organizations with a strong political lobby. Privatization of social housing is a central issue that they are fighting against. As a initiator of a big network of about 50 initiatives, the “Recht auf Stadt”-Network in Hamburg is  a representative example of German activism. I would present this and further examples of networks from Berlin and Freiburg consisting of different social groups (students, tenants) which claim the “right to the city” and act with regards to the question of housing.

France, particularly Paris is dealing with a deep housing-crisis. Social movements, like “Kids of Don Quixote” and “Jeudi Noir” are fighting for quality and affordable housing for everybody, from homeless to middle-class. With the “enforceable right of housing” (law DALO, 2006), a big step was achieved. But the concrete results are disappointing. I would report on housing struggles and present the activities of “AITEC” to illustrate the “right to the city” as a right to participate on the community life.

There are many French-German links about urban issues. With this comparison, I would like to highlight the particular French and German social movements.