The "Yellow Vests" in France, populist politics, a global pandemic and restricted liberties: democracies all around the world have been significantly challenged over the past several years. Meanwhile, the youth is an increasingly active participant in the political debate, and online activism is as effective as ever. This evolution of democratic dynamics has called for a rethinking of the daily practice of political participation. In that light, participatory democracy has gained momentum, fueled by a promise to innovate and instill a new way of making collective decisions. Julia Keugten, Senior Advisor at the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, shares her insights on participatory democracy, civic engagement and accountability.
How has participatory democracy become a new feature of political participation and why is it so pivotal?
Political participation is at the core of democracies around the world, but its application may vary greatly in terms of quality or type. The most common kind of political participation in all democracies is the electoral process. As citizens, we go to vote, seeking to directly influence the people that are going to be representing us. But participatory democracy is concerned with ensuring that citizens are afforded an opportunity to directly participate, or otherwise be involved in the decisions that affect their lives.
Today, people do want to have a say on public policies. When it comes to the development of spaces in urban areas, for example, people are increasingly advocating greener cities. In Barcelona, citizens have pushed for the democratization of public spaces through the creation of "superblocks", which carve out large car-free areas. They are supporting the implementation of this urban policy through platforms for citizen participation, such as Decidim Barcelona. This kind of local and communal engagement is key to participative democracy, which does not stop at the local level. Systemic issues that affect everyone’s lives, such as climate change, have urged people to push for their voices to be heard on a global scale as well.
Some politicians view participatory democracy as a threat. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Participatory democracy can supplement, if not complement, representative democracy. But in order to make the two coexist, conditions need to be met and a cultural shift must take place in our democratic institutions, one that favors transparency and openness and acknowledges the relevance of public opinion. This remains a major challenge for many democratic institutions and their representatives.