The open council, possibility of greater democracy and citizen participation

Abstract

The objective of this work is to show the increasing importance of citizen participation in local power and the existence of a public institution, the open council, included in the Spanish Constitution, existing since several centuries. It might be the most effective institution to promote real democracy and citizen participation in common decisions taken in small municipalities (less than 500 inhabitants). It starts with a literature review on the subject. It also analyses the characteristics of this model of public management in different legislations. The research method used was the case study, using the Delphi methodology, concluding in the enhancement of citizen participation in public decisions based on the improvement of public services and the representative system; the mechanisms of overcoming the institutional crisis and of citizen participation; and the mechanisms of the improvement of direct democracy. Particularly, the possibility of adopting the open council as a more efficient management figure in small municipalities is considered.