Urban public space and freedom of speech

The article takes the Norwegian planning practice as its point of departure, more specifically the burden-sharing of preparation and ownership of public spaces, which entails that urban spaces are owned, designed and operated by both public and private actors. The article asks in what way this share of burdens affects the political parties' opportunities to use urban space as an arena for expression. In addition, the article sheds light on how the function of urban spaces as places for the expression of opinion is secured in the planning instruments and by the municipalities. The discussions are based on an empirical case study of the practice in the City of Oslo. Based on party research perspectives, the arenas and channels the parties use in their outward-looking activities are analyzed, while institutional perspectives and planning-law perspectives are used to analyze how current planning practice ensures that urban spaces can also be used for activism and expression of opinions. The article concludes that there is a need for changes in the cities' practices and in the Planning and Building Act, in order to better ensure expression of opinions in urban space.