VUB, ULB and itsme® present Part Two of their study on political engagement in Belgium
Public participation: follow-up research on finding alternative ways for citizens to participate in political decision-making
Voting is just one of the ways that citizens have of taking action. Although parliamentary democracy remains the cornerstone of our society, there are numerous other forms of public and citizen participation that keep democracy alive. A new study from VUB, ULB, at the request of itsme®, lists all of these initiatives and provides recommendations for increasing the involvement of the citizen in the political decision-making process.
To what extent are Belgians involved in voting and wider political decision-making? Besides the voting booth itself, what are the alternatives for involving citizens in public policy development? That is the subject of a two-part academic study conducted by the Political Science Department (POLI) at VUB and ULB’s Centre for the Study of Political Practice (Cevipol). The research is supported by the identity app itsme®, which is the access key to the online services of the government (and many private partners).