Searching for Nordic features: Institutional logics of participatory budgeting in local government

Abstract

In the era of democratic crisis and increasing mistrust towards representative systems, new methods of citizen participation and democratic opening of local governance are expected. Participatory budgeting (PB) is one such method in which unelected citizens help define policies to be funded and/or allocate resources. Local governments have increasingly implemented PB, and Nordic countries are no exception. The role of public officials is crucial to PB success. Therefore, we scrutinised the roles, practices, and atmosphere regarding public officials’ planning and implementation of PB to identify typical institutional features of Nordic countries. In Nordic PB, the administrative roles, rules, and procedures, which often cause difficulties during the process, are emphasised.