Improving Public Consultation Through Citizen Participation

We need to learn from cities that have successfully implemented participatory budgeting or citizen participation initiaves. We are particularly interested in understanding how other municipalities design their processes, involve diverse actors, use digital tools to facilitate participation, and ensure that citizen input leads to tangible outcomes. Addressing this challenge will help us build stronger democratic practices, foster trust between citizens and institutions, and improve the effectiveness of local governance.

Digital tools are another area where we require support. Implementing user-friendly platforms and innovative solutions would allow us to reach a wider audience, increase accessibility, and ensure that participation is not limited to in-person meetings. Finally, we would benefit from learning how to evaluate and monitor participatory budgeting initiatives, ensuring that citizen input leads to measurable outcomes and that the process remains transparent and accountable. Ideally, these tools should be open-source, enabling transparency, adaptability, and the exchange of information among municipal departments and even across regional governments.