Refugee solidarity in a multilevel political opportunity structure: the case of Spain

From a comparative vantage point, few refugees arrived in Spain during the long summer of migration. Although a strong pro-refugee movement developed, it had an important internal variability. We study varying local-level political opportunities, comparing municipalities governed by movement-connected parties with others run by more traditional forces. We analysed the exceptional situation of Barcelona, where there is not only more popular mobilisation, but activism is also more protest-oriented than in other places. In contrast, Ceuta and Melilla are highly securitised cases with very closed opportunities for mobilisation. In between, we found mixed results for Andalusia and Galicia: although the presence of allies in office opens discursive opportunities for movement actors, it does not necessarily translate into de facto policies and stronger local networks of grassroots activism.