This project aims to analyze the institutional profile and the participatory and deliberative processes of municipal public policy councils from a comparative perspective in medium-sized cities of Brazil’s Northeast, with emphasis on the dimensions of democratic innovation (normative structure, selection method, modes of participation, decision-making mechanisms, and degree of influence on local public policies). Its specific objectives are: (a) to characterize the institutional structure of the selected municipal public policy councils, considering their legal basis, composition, available resources, agendas, and internal functioning; (b) to map the methods of selection and inclusion of council members, with attention to affirmative action measures and criteria of social and territorial representativeness; (c) to describe the modes of participation of council members and other actors involved; (d) to identify the decision-making mechanisms adopted by the councils, distinguishing between consultation, voting, negotiation, or shared deliberation between civil society and government; (e) to assess the degree of influence and effectiveness of council decisions on the formulation and implementation of municipal public policies; and (f) to compare the results between the two municipalities, highlighting similarities, differences, and potential explanatory factors related to the political-institutional context.

Participants (Center)

LAPID/UFAL:  Leonardo Leal, Rachel Carvalho, Giovanna Carvalho Lira Matos, Maria Eduarda da Silva Augusto