New examples of territorial democracy: Participatory balance

Abstract

The work is intended to illustrate the application of the participatory balance as a means by which democratic
participation aims to overcome the mistrust between citizens and governors. Participatory balance can be defined
as a decision-making procedure which entails opening public administration to citizens so that they participate
actively and directly in the decisions made concerning the objectives and distribution of public investments. Thus,
balance proposals are jointly discussed and articulated throughout the entire year, taking collective instances into
consideration. It may be considered a procedure which gradually improves balance-sheet documents (in particular,
those regarding investment plans for public works and services). These documents are discussed by the
inhabitants of the area and must meet strict deadlines so as to guarantee the completion of the choices agreed
upon. The value of the procedure is highly symbolic as it represents both the concrete wish for a change in the way
institutions function, as well as the main means by which to build and consolidate a relationship between citizens
and politics. The testing of participatory balance in various contexts has allowed for the public bureaucratic
machine to be managed in a highly efficient manner, while the policies and choices arrived at jointly are also more
efficient.
Key words: Participatory balance, public administration, citizenship.