Participatory Democracy: Mechanism of Better Regulation in Europe

• Author: Neliana Rodean
• Position: PhD in progress, Faculty of Law, Universita degli Studi di Verona, via C. Montanari, n. 9 - 37100 Verona, Italy
• Pages: 31-46

Abstract:

This paper aims

context. In the era of globa

political in stitutions. The n

involvement of citizens i n

increasingly active par

ticipa

tools is realized a direct actio

have th e possibility to be in

institutions, through mechan

find a remedy for an excessiv

Keywords:

participatory dem

1. Introduction

In the recent years, we

level, of

various types

participatory

deliberati

decision making,

that

information and

comm

and extensive

communi

horizontally and

vertica

These new

models of g

principles

of democrat

most

appropriate to th

institutions nowadays:

regions to the scarcity

1

PhD in progress, Faculty of

Verona, Italy. Tel.: +

neliana.rodean@univr.it.

J

Participatory Democracy: Mechan

Better Regulation

in Europe

Neliana RODEAN

1

s

at analyzing

the concept of participato ry democracy in

balization, tools such as Inte

rnet filled the gap between civi

e new information and communication technologies contr

in decision

-

making process. The democratic deficit is brid

ipation of civil society at various levels of policy. Through

tion of citizens, or even certain categories, which for various r

i nformed or have voice on political decision

s. In addition,

anisms of “better regulation”, promote processes of simplific

sive law

-making.

emocracy; e

-democracy; better regulation; new technologie

s;

e are witnessing

the introduction, at

Community an

es of

regulatory and operational tools which

aim a

ative processes

, the most representative

of all

at also make use of

the opportunities offered

b

munication technologies (

ICT) which allow

mor

unicational

exchanges, increasing

the flow of inform

ically.

f governance and

decision-making processes

are ba

ratic governance

, understood as the process of

g

the

features of the challenges and problems

fac

ys:

from the growing territorial interdependenc

of resources, from the continuous

innovation p

of

Law, Universita degli Studi di Verona, via C. Montanari,

+39.045.8028802,

fax: +39.045.8028804. Cor

respond

AUDJ, vol. VII, no. 2

,

JURIDICA

31

hanism of

ope

in the European

ivil society and

ntribute to the

bridged through

gh e

-democracy

s reasons do not

n, th e European

ification rules

to

s; governance

and national

at

providing

all stages

of

by

the new

ore complex

ormation

both

based

on the

government

faced by the

nce between

processes

to

ari, n. 9

- 37100

nding author:

, pp.

31-46

ACTA UNIVERSITATIS DANUBIUS No. 2/2011

32

the citizens and businesses highest expectations. Moreover, the nature of the

problems faced by the society has changed: the standards are more complex, the

factors to consider are different and in a constant change, there are new emerging

social needs in terms of quality of life, wellness, environment and assertion of

different cultural identities, and it is more difficult to reconcile the good/interest of

individuals and specific groups with the good/interest of the community.

Therefore, it becomes increasingly important for all democratic institutions that

aim to reconstruct and/or consolidate the foundations of their consent, to provide

conditions, space and tools so that citizens get involved and included in the "public

affair", they are listened to and valued for their contribution of expertise and

abilities. However, this involvement should not be limited to, albeit important,

information and consultation activities, but include all those processes of active

participation in which citizens become promoters of their own proposals, calling

for an open dialectical confrontation with the institutions.

Being a citizen in the present society not only means to access the services of a

more efficient public administration, capable of overcoming the digital divide and

ensure clear and timely information for all (E-government), but also to be able to

participate in political institutions through traditional and innovative forms (E-

democracy). It is in this perspective that the E-democracy is a recent and

innovative process that takes place between Administrators and Citizens, by means

of information and data transmission tools, in order to exchange information and

develop choices in the social and land management field.

2. Definition of e-democracy

The term e-democracy means the use of the new information and communication

technologies (ICT) in order to increase the participation of citizens in democratic

institutions. The e-democracy, in view of a more active political participation and a

new and deeper institutional legitimacy, requires transparency of administrative

action, structured listening and empowerment of the citizen.

Generally, the concept of e-democracy is linked to that of decision making,

understood as decision-making processes described in terms of life cycle of the

policy, including different phases that extend from the emersion and definition of

problems and political arena of actors, to the identification of alternative solutions,

to the definition of feasible solutions, to the choice of the solution and its