The citizen participation law debated by citizens and designed in the last three years must be presented and defended in the Parliament of Catalonia. In this article, written by the team of experts and teachers – Rosa Borge, Jaume López, José Luis Martí, Xavier Moreno, Jordi Pacheco, Ismael Peña-López, Fernando Pindado and Yanina Welp -, highlights the urgent need for this new citizen participation law in Catalonia.
They explain that there is currently a significant legal vacuum, with scattered regulations. The initiative to create this law arose from a previous participatory process, but it is still pending presentation to Parliament. Their main argument is that this law does not seek to give participation in Catalonia coverage and a solid and structured basis. This would allow the implementation of new tools, such as citizens’ assemblies by lottery, and the maintenance of others such as participatory platforms, avoiding partisan uses or processes that do not generate a real impact on public policies.
The article highlights the importance of avoiding citizen disappointment. They mention the case of the Citizens’ Assembly for the Climate of Catalonia, where despite the efforts of the participants, an effective political response was lacking. They also warn that poor management of participation can generate distrust. Finally, a participation law would offer legal certainty to city councils and entities that seek to innovate, in addition to providing compensation for dedication in long processes. It is a key opportunity to strengthen democracy.
You can read the full article here.
Image credits: Dani Ríos (from https://en.ara.cat/)