Started in 2002, the Citizen Forum of San Fernando de Henares (Observatorio de la ciudad) is a permanent mini-public. One of its main functions is to evaluate citizen proposals from other institutional participatory mechanisms. It may recommend or reject a referendum for Madrid.
Problems and Purpose
Background History and Context
The current OC was approved in 2019 by the new left government (Ahora Madrid) resulting from the municipal elections in 2015. The OC was created in 2004 (under Popular Party government), however, the current OC was deeply reformed in 2019, including the random selection of participants has been included.
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Participant Recruitment and Selection
The selection of participants (recruitment) starts with an open call to everyone and then, among the registered, 49 citizens are chosen according to a set socio-demographic criteria which seek to obtain a representative sample.
Methods and Tools Used
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
The main functions are to evaluate and formulate recommendations on public policies, specifically evaluating citizens proposals emerging from other institutional participatory mechanisms (considered less representative such as associative councils). After the evaluation (an executive report), the OC may recommend or reject a referendum (citizen consultation) among the whole population of Madrid.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
In general, this organ analyzes citizens' proposals which have received important support (through other participatory channels both online or offline). After preparing a report on them, the observatory will raise the need to submit them (recommendation) or not (rejection) to referendum to the whole population of Madrid. It is worth noting that a government change took place after the last municipal elections (2019/5/26). The continuity of the OC is not guaranteed.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
See Also
El Observatorio de la Ciudad (The City Observatory)
References
External Links
Notes
This entry is based on the POLITICIZE dataset. More information can be found at the following links:
- Paulis, Emilien; Pilet, Jean-Benoit; Panel, Sophie; Vittori, Davide; Close, Caroline, 2020, "POLITICIZE Dataset", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/Z7X6GT, Harvard Dataverse, V1
- Pilet J-B, Paulis E, Panel S.,Vitori D & Close C. 202X The POLITICIZE Dataset: an inventory of Deliberative Mini-Publics (DMPs) in Europe. European Political Science.