TIESS has published a new report on local democracy, in collaboration with the DPG working group

Excerpt from the TIESS publication:

Led by doctoral student Anaïs Del Bono (HEC Montréal) in collaboration with TIESS, this research contributes to a better understanding of the conditions conducive to participatory democracy at the local level. It documents these experiences based on interviews conducted with an elected official, civil servants, and civil society actors. The study reveals emerging areas of consensus and identifies priority areas for action to promote local governance.

Some notable quotes:

“[…] citizen participation can only move forward if decision-making structures are made more transparent, more inclusive, and easier to understand.”

“As for civil servants, […] everyone agrees that, beyond political will, there must be genuine administrative capacity to connect services with one another and with civil society, allocate resources appropriately, foster a culture of co-governance, and provide clear mandates to bodies dedicated to these tasks. ”

“[…] officials unanimously emphasize that citizen participation goes beyond mere consultation: it involves sustainable mechanisms that recognize the value of acting together, delegating certain aspects of management to local communities, innovating in deliberative methods, and generating true collective intelligence in the service of the common good.”

“On the one hand, grassroots initiatives enjoy strong local legitimacy, mobilize a variety of resources (public, private, and philanthropic), and propose innovative solutions. On the other hand, they face the complexity of public institutions (boroughs, City Center), the lack of official mechanisms for delegating authority, and the issue of funding for participation itself.”

Congratulations to everyone who contributed!