Participatory democracy
Thirty-one years after communism, Albanians demand democratic reform
A new report by the Albanian Insitute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) says the electorate wants more democratic progress in the EU candidate country, considered a hybrid, or only partly democratic, regime according to Freedom House.
The Scottish take on participatory budgeting
In 2017, Scottish councils agreed to spend 1% of their budgets through participatory budgeting (PB). But how does the process work in Scotland and what are the obstacles authorities and communities face when they carry it out? As part of...
Should European citizens dictate the bloc’s budget?
MEPs and experts propose to scale up a city-level tool allowing citizens to decide how to spend a part of the municipal resources and let Europeans shape the EU budget expenditure.
Weak participatory tools hinder citizens’ attempts to shape EU policies
The EU’s attempts to encourage citizens’ engagement through participatory tools has made little impact due to the lack of information and clear follow-up, experts say.
Politicians ready to hear citizens’ ideas but roles need to be clearly defined
Giving citizens a say in decision-making beyond elections can help the leadership make better decisions, but sharing power requires a clear division of roles, politicians and experts have said. Citizen participation has increased rapidly in recent years and at all...
Irish mayor: the challenge of integrating youth in public participation networks
Forms of deliberative democracy, such as public participation networks, can support traditional politics - but integrating young people into the process remains a challenge, Gillian Coughlan, mayor of Cork County in Ireland, said in an interview with EURACTIV.
Ensuring participatory democracy without abdicating responsibility
While participatory democracy sounds like an important goal to many, it also raises questions of responsibility, accountability, power and trust, according to a panel on citizen engagement.
Whose democracy? The tumultuous road to effective civic participation
Consulting citizens on decisions that affect them, such as deciding how to spend money more often than not collected from their wallets, is seen as a way to increase trust and accountability at all levels of government. But how can...
The Dutch and participatory budgeting: citizens have their say
Out of every region in the word, cities in Europe engage in the largest share of participatory budgeting, a process that allows citizens to weigh in on municipal budget expenditure and propose initiatives for their cities or neighborhoods. City leaders...
Participatory budgeting: Europe’s bet to increase trust in government
Participatory budgeting (PB) - the shared decision between city leaders and inhabitants on spending a part of the municipal budget - is becoming an increasingly popular democratic tool in Europe.
Participatory budgeting explained
Participatory budgeting, the shared decision between local government and citizens on how to spend a part of the municipal budget, is becoming increasingly popular across the bloc.
Cities’ empowerment initiatives risk being ‘paper exercises’, experts warn
Projects meant to give power to EU city dwellers risk being reduced to a 'box-ticking' exercise unless municipal leaders can convince as many of their constituents as possible to participate.
Boosting citizen engagement might not be enough to save democracy
To fight democratic backsliding and strengthen local democracy, cities have developed creative tools to boost citizen engagement, such as participatory budgeting and regional consultations. These forms of public participation are meant to bring democracy closer to citizens, giving them a...
Digital divide hinders European citizens’ voice in local matters
European cities are using online tools to engage their inhabitants, but a lack of digital skills and access could amplify existing inequalities.
Participatory budgeting: hype or democratic panacea?
European cities are increasingly giving their inhabitants a voice on local matters by asking urbanites how to spend municipal budgets and engaging them on innovative platforms. Local leaders believe engaging citizens can strengthen democracy and speed up Europe’s green transition,...
When asked urban europeans call for greener cities
Lorsqu’ils sont interrogés par les dirigeants sur ce qu’ils souhaitent pour leurs villes, les Européens vivant en ville placent la transition environnementale, les infrastructures durables et les espaces publics verts en tête de leurs priorités.
Youth organisations want ‘more than just a seat in the room’ in talks on Europe’s future
European youth should participate in political discussions, specifically on reforming democratic processes and not just on traditional topics like education, European Youth Forum President Silja Markkula told EURACTIV.
DEMOTEC – Democratising Territorial Cohesion: Experimenting with deliberative citizen engagement and participatory budgeting in European regional and urban policies
DEMOTEC investigate the role of participatory budgeting in fostering greater and more informed citizen participation in policy-making.
German elections as opportunity for a new beginning in Europe
For years, Berlin has at best administered, mostly stonewalled, when it came to European policy. It is now time for a German government that will throw its full weight behind an active European policy, writes Jamila Schäfer.
Slovenia: Future of Europe debate should focus on resilience
After the successive crises over two decades, a core issue for the Conference on the Future of Europe should be how to ensure the resilience of the EU and put policies in favour of European citizens first, Slovenia's State Secretary Gašper Dovžan told EURACTIV.
Uzbekistan celebrates 30th anniversary of independence hoping for new ‘Renaissance’
Uzbekistan is celebrating on Wednesday (1 September) the 30th anniversary from its independence from the Soviet Union, as a milestone in its nation building, while it is looking forward to the next stage of its development called “Third Renaissance”.
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe. The EU's leaders must stop paying lipservice to the climate emergency, writes Helena Marschall.
Commission backs ban on cages in farming in ‘historic’ move for animal welfare
The European Commission has committed to working towards a ban on cages for farmed animals in what is being hailed as an historic move for animal welfare after a citizens initiative amassed more than one million signatures from across Europe.
