15-M movement: Where are its key figures 15 years on?

Fifteen years ago this Friday, the 15-M movement, known as the 'Indignados', occupied squares across Spain, including in Catalonia, sparking a shift in political culture. Widespread public discontent over austerity, corruption, and a lack of trust in major parties led to large-scale mobilisations. This eventually translated into new political offerings, with parties like Podemos and Catalunya en Comú, and leaders such as Ada Colau, emerging directly from these protests.

Today, the political landscape has changed significantly. The dissatisfaction that the transformative left capitalised on a decade ago now appears to be shifting towards the far-right, which could potentially enter the Spanish government. Many of the key political figures from the 15-M era have since moved away from institutional politics.

Pablo Iglesias and Íñigo Errejón's Journeys

Pablo Iglesias was a main driver behind Podemos, founded in 2014, which became the primary political project inheriting the spirit of the square protests. In 2016, Podemos secured 71 seats, becoming the third-largest force in the Congress of Deputies. Iglesias later served as Vice President of the Spanish government under Pedro Sánchez before resigning to try and save his party in Madrid, an effort that was unsuccessful. Since then, internal disputes, political fragmentation, and what some see as poor management of expectations have led to the party losing influence, despite maintaining a strong left-wing discourse. Iglesias is now out of institutional politics, working as a professor and media commentator.

Íñigo Errejón, another key ideologue of Podemos, also played a significant role in Congress and within the party's structure. Over time, he distanced himself from Iglesias, eventually breaking with Podemos to join Más Madrid, Manuela Carmena's platform. This platform gained dominance over Podemos on the left in the Spanish capital. After a period in the Madrid Assembly, Errejón ran in the 2019 Spanish general elections with Más País, an attempt to replicate the Madrid experiment at a national level. The results were modest, yielding only two seats. He later joined Sumar, led by Yolanda Díaz. In 2024, Errejón resigned following accusations of gender-based violence, which he denied, and has since remained out of the political and media spotlight.

Activists to Mayors: Ada Colau and Manuela Carmena

Juan Carlos Monedero is considered one of the ideologues of the 15-M movement and its political transformation. A media contributor and advisor to left-wing governments in Latin America, he co-founded Podemos but left in 2015, urging the party to return to its origins and criticising the institutionalisation of the 'Indignados' movement. He has faced accusations of sexual harassment from students, which he denies; the Public Prosecutor's Office archived the case. He now teaches at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Ada Colau is one of the main political leaders to emerge from the 15-M. Fifteen years ago, she was the public face of the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH), a critical organisation in the 'Indignados' protests. She helped establish Guanyem Barcelona, the precursor to Barcelona en Comú, and became Mayor of Barcelona. Alongside Manuela Carmena, she was one of the 'mayors of change' who won in major Spanish cities. Colau governed Barcelona for two terms but did not secure re-election in the last municipal elections. In 2024, she resigned as a city councillor and now combines activism with media appearances. She remains a key figure for the Comuns and supports a united left-wing candidacy in Spanish general elections, a view shared by Gabriel Rufián.

Manuela Carmena is another figure associated with the 15-M legacy, although she was not directly involved in the encampments. A progressive judge, she was a major reference, along with Ada Colau, for the 'mayors of change'. She governed Madrid from 2015 to 2019 with Ahora Madrid, a candidacy supported by sectors linked to Podemos and 15-M activist movements, ending decades of PP rule. After leaving the Madrid mayoralty, she stepped away from front-line politics.

Catalan Figures and National Politics

The 15-M was a national movement, but it also had Catalan expressions, with Xavier Domènech being one of its main intellectuals. Linked to Podemos, he led En Comú Podem in the 2015 Spanish general elections, where it became the most voted force in Catalonia. He supported Barcelona en Comú and promoted the Catalunya en Comú project for the 2017 elections. He served as a Member of Parliament in Catalonia but left after a few months. He now works as a professor but remains a respected voice in progressive circles.

Teresa Rodríguez, a leader closely tied to the 15-M, served as Secretary General of Podemos in Andalusia until she left due to strategic differences, particularly regarding agreements with the PSOE. A Member of the Andalusian Parliament and a Member of the European Parliament, and a reference for the anti-capitalist current within Podemos, she left front-line politics in 2022 to return to teaching. She led Adelante Andalucía and remains connected to the movement.

Mónica Oltra, while not directly linked to the 15-M, is an institutional figure who emerged from its spirit. She was spokesperson and leader of Compromís and a public face of political change in the Valencian Country. She served as Vice President of the Valencian government as part of the Botànic pact, which ended PP rule. However, her political career was cut short by accusations of concealing a sexual abuse case involving her ex-partner. After years of a low public profile and stepping away from politics, she recently announced her return to compete for the mayoralty of Valencia.

Alberto Garzón, previously associated with Izquierda Unida, also successfully channelled the sentiment of the 15-M politically. He helped form the alliance with Podemos, served as a Member of Congress for over a decade, and became Minister of Consumer Affairs in the Spanish government. In 2023, after Pedro Sánchez's investiture, he left front-line politics, though he committed to continuing collaboration with Izquierda Unida and Sumar. In his farewell, he highlighted the 15-M mobilisations and the effort to capitalise on those protests. Outside of politics, he maintains a low profile with occasional media contributions.

Joan Subirats also played a significant role in the academic and municipal movements that arose from the 15-M. Linked to the Comuns, he was one of the spokespersons for Guanyem Barcelona and a promoter of Catalunya en Comú. He entered institutional politics with Ada Colau in Barcelona City Council before being appointed Minister of Universities in the Spanish government in 2021. He did not continue in the current legislature and has left front-line politics, though he continues to offer progressive reflections in various media outlets.

Looking ahead, the legacy of the 15-M continues to shape political discourse, even as its original leaders move on. The upcoming elections and ongoing political realignments will show how the energy of those protests continues to influence Spanish and Catalan society.