1. LOCAL PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY IN PORTUGAL

2. Historical background and legislation relating to participative democracy  Amendment to the Constitution in 1982: new paragraph about local referenda  Thanks to the organic law, the local referendum obtains juridical status on the 24th August 2000

3. The local or regional referendum  Initiated both by the people or the local representatives  "Initiators": deputies, deliberative assemblies, local executives, parts from the electoral body  A matter of great interest to the locals  A matter that relates to sole competences of the local government or to competences that are shared with the central government  Decisional referendum (not exclusively consultative) WHO? WHY? HOW?

4. Examples for national referenda: the year 1998  Authorised since 1989, first used in 1998  3 actual referenda: -28th June 1998: abortion -8th November 1998: regionalisation -11th February 2006: abortion

5. Right of petition and access to mediators: a possibility for locals to intervene directly  Regulated by the Constitution: article 52 Role:  Defending the rights and freedom of the people  Ensuring that the central government acts judicially and legally PETITIONSMEDIATORS

6. Possibility to appeal Appealing against the deliberations of local governments Vice of formIncompetenceViolation of law The people’s appeal Provided for in the Constitution Individually or collectively Preventative objective or to cease an infraction

7. Possibility to form collective entities  A community smaller than a district  Has the status of a local organisation  Within the smallest districts  Without elected deliberative body  Direct democracy is exerted  The locals have the possibility to stand for election regarding the local governmental bodies Citizen associations Plenary session of electors Group candidature

8. Other means for citizens to participate directly Public meetings and deliberations RecordsNeed for public approval relating local governments’ instruments Extraordinary meetings Citizens can speak up Deliberations are published Written at the end of each meeting and have to be validated Can be consulted by everybody Public debate before a project is approved Possibility for citizens to summon deliberative bodies

9. Typical examples for participative democracy Local referendum of the Freguesia de Serreleis The Coimbra Republics Towards a direct democracy for citizens

10. Conclusion  Participative democracy with many tools but not strongly internalised  The learning process towards a participative democracy and a complete decentralisation has begun