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In accordance with the orientations of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who affirmed the importance of placing the citizen at the heart of the decision -making process, the Ministry of the Interior, Local Authorities and Local Planning presented an exhaustive report devoted to participatory democracy at the local level. This document is based on a field survey carried out between January 22 and June 29, 2025, carried out by the Directorate of Local Governance, and entitled “Participatory democracy at the local level: opportunities and challenges” and already available on the ministry’s website.
This study is part of the realization of the commitments of the Head of State to fully associate citizens with public activity, through participation and consultation between local authorities and the population in the solving problems and the evaluation of public policies. According to the ministry, this approach constitutes a major axis of the national strategy for promoting participatory democracy at the local level. It mobilized the advisory bodies attached to the Presidency of the Republic, in particular the National Observatory of Civil Society (ONSC) and the Higher Youth Council (CSJ), as well as representatives of the Ministry of the Interior.
The report specifies that the final objective is the implementation of a global regulatory framework defining the operating and organization methods of local participatory bodies. The latter will take the form of city committees and advisory advice at the level of municipalities and wilayas, in accordance with the principles of participative democracy devoted by constitutional provisions.
As part of this study, an investigation by questionnaires was carried out with a large sample of citizens. The results obtained reflect significant trends. More than 67% of participants, aged 18 to 45, expressed a marked interest in collaborative work and in direct involvement in public affairs. This proportion shows that youth today constitutes the driving force of the civic participation process and that it wishes to be fully associated with the management of collective life.
The report also indicates that 64% of citizens questioned believe that the performance of the popular municipal assemblies depends closely on the degree of involvement of the inhabitants. This conviction testifies to an evolution in the perception of the role of local elected officials, which are no longer only called to manage administrative files but to establish a real dialogue with the citizens they represent.
Another revealing indicator is provided by 60% of participants who claim that the involvement of residents contributes to improving the efficiency of public services. This majority opinion demonstrates that participatory democracy is not only perceived as a democratic principle, but as a concrete lever of administrative performance and good governance.
Constant expansion citizen participation
Beyond the results of the survey, the Ministry’s report highlights a measurable increase in citizen engagement in practice. More than 34,275 people have taken part in the various local consultations organized across the national territory. These meetings, held in districts, municipalities and wilayas, made it possible to express needs, to offer solutions and to prioritize priorities.
In some wilayas, participation rates have exceeded 40%, which is an encouraging sign in a country long marked by the distance between administration and citizens. These figures reflect a new trend and a manifest will of the company to reclaim public space and to get involved directly in the management of local affairs.
The effects of this mobilization are visible in the projects carried out. The report lists nearly 2,380 community projects validated as part of participatory democracy. Among them, 542 proximity projects are directly from the proposals made by the inhabitants.
These projects cover a wide range of fields, some concern the rehabilitation of schools and the modernization of educational infrastructure, others relate to the development of green spaces and the preservation of the urban environment. Several initiatives have been oriented towards the creation of neighborhood libraries, the construction of sports or cultural structures, and the improvement of water and sanitation networks. Each project embodies the idea that citizen participation provides concrete responses adapted to the real needs of the population.
The report also highlights an institutional innovation introduced in certain pilot municipalities. These are participatory budgets, a mechanism by which a share of local financial resources, sometimes estimated at several billion dinars, is entrusted to the direct choices of the inhabitants. The latter themselves decide on the allocation of public funds according to their priorities.
Thanks to this system, several communities have been able to finance the construction of cultural centers, the rehabilitation of dispensaries, the development of public spaces or the modernization of road infrastructure. This experience illustrates a new approach to local management which is based on transparency and co -responsibility.
Structuring role of associations and youth
The ministry recalls the importance of strengthening the role of associations and mobilizing youth in this process. With more than 100,000 associations recorded across national territory, the associative fabric represents an essential relay to encourage consultation and support the implementation of participatory projects.
Youth, which constitutes the majority of the population, appears as a decisive player in this dynamic. His interest in citizen participation, confirmed by the results of the survey, makes it a strategic partner for the success of this reform. Its dynamism and its capacity for innovation offer new prospects to consolidate participatory governance.
The report does not ignore the difficulties that still slow down the full rise of participatory democracy. Bureaucratic heaviness, resistance to the change of certain local officials and the weakness of participatory culture in certain regions are all obstacles to overcome. The distrust of part of the population, inherited from years of centralized management, also constitutes an obstacle to massive membership.
To meet these challenges, the ministry highlights several levers. The intensification of training programs for elected officials and local managers is considered essential. The expansion of concertation spaces and the increased use of digital tools must also promote better involvement of the population. Finally, clearer and more regular communication is called upon to consolidate confidence and strengthen citizens’ membership.