Manuela Carmena awarded XXI Blanquerna Prize by Catalan government

The Generalitat de Catalunya has awarded the XXI Premio Blanquerna to Manuela Carmena, recognizing her contributions as a jurist and former mayor of Madrid. The honor, which carries no financial endowment, was granted unanimously by a jury convened in Madrid on October 23, 2026.

Recognition Criteria

The jury cited Carmena’s "recognized prestige" as a labor lawyer and her tenure as Madrid’s mayor from 2015 to 2019. Key reasons for the award included:

• Her promotion of dialogue and collaboration throughout her career.
• Establishing an "open and constructive relationship" with Barcelona during her mayoralty.
• Contributing to democratic coexistence and social cohesion through institutional responsibility.

Carmena is described as having maintained this commitment to civil society even after leaving office. The award highlights her role in bridging gaps between Madrid and Catalonia, fostering a spirit of cooperation that the jury deemed vital for social cohesion.

Award Context and History

The Premio Blanquerna is administered by the Generalitat through its delegation in Madrid. It honors individuals or entities that contribute to the development, promotion, knowledge, or projection of Catalonia. Notably, the prize was reactivated in July 2025 after an eight-year hiatus, with the first post-reactivation edition held in 2025. The inaugural award in 1993 went to Fernando Lázaro Carreter.

Previous recipients include Adolfo Suárez, Octavio Paz, Jorge Semprún, and Iñaki Gabilondo. The 2026 jury was presided over by Albert Dalmau, Conseller of the Presidency, with Núria Marín as vicepresident. Other members included journalists Jordi Amat, Àngels Barceló, and Enric Juliana; actress Irene Escolar; writer José María Lassalle; Rocío Martínez-Sampere; and editor Carme Riera Sanfeliu.

This recognition underscores Carmena’s enduring influence in Spanish public life and her specific impact on inter-regional relations.