Original scientific paper

Participatory Budgeting in Poland: Quasi-Referendum Instead of Deliberation

Dawid Sześciło ; Fakultet za pravo i upravu, Sveučilište u Varšavi, Poljska

Abstract

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a global phenomenon exemplifying a shift towards collaborative and participatory governance. This umbrella term embraces a huge variety of mechanisms of public participation in the budgetary process: from advanced consultation to a specific type of direct democracy. This article presents the results of an extensive analysis of the Polish model of PB applied in nine municipalities of different size. It demonstrates that the model disseminated in Poland is based on quasi-referendum that guarantees the citizens direct impact on local budgets. However, participation is limited to a minor part of local budgets and it is not accompanied by public deliberation over strategic issues. Therefore, the Polish model of PB does not offer a genuine shift towards participatory local governance.

Keywords

participatory budgeting; governance; New Public Governance; Poland; local government

Hrčak ID:

142728

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/142728

Publication date:

28.6.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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