Are there regional differences in the form of implementation of the participatory budget?
Yes, and they are positive differences. There is no single model, nor would it be desirable to have one, because the experiences are the products of the reality of each region, of its local history, civic culture, and the organization of its civil society, the available resources and also the administrative culture of the governments which administer them. In Brazil, the force of the social movements in the cities and their presence in the Workers’ Party explains why Participatory Budgets tend to be more urban. In the Andean region, the presence of Participatory Budgets in small and medium-sized municipalities has to do with the vitality of social movements and NGOs in those areas. In Europe, Participatory Budgets allow, above all, for the modernisation of public administration linked with citizen participation.
