Ciudadanos, new centre-right party, turns to crowdfunding to finance election campaign

WITH the general elections set for December 20 rising political party Ciudadanos plans to collect funds from its supporters, i.e. crowdfunding, in order to finance part of its campaign.

The centre-right party is courting support from voters by offering them advantages similar to those of a members club. Founded in 2005 as a Catalan non-nationalist party, Leader Albert Rivera is looking to challenge the governing Popular Party.

Carlos Cuadrado, the head of financing for the party, said “We are working on a platform that will work like a club, whose members have rights and advantages. For example, they will have access to the events that are held in their cities in exchange for their loyalty. They’ll be given special treatment.”

Ciudadanos started the year with only two seats in the European parliament, nine in Spanish regional assemblies and with a budget of less than €2 million. The party will be handling a budget of more than €8 million thanks to state funding as a result of its more than 90 regional deputies, who won in the May elections. It has also seen a rise in membership – with almost 30,000 members paying €10 a month.

All of the income from these funds however will not be used to finance the campaign. Also on the agenda is building a team of professionals and paying for the rent of new headquarters that will be opened throughout Spain.