Abstract
Public participation is a mainstay of democracy. However, the ways in which it can be understood inevitably influence the achievement of the goals that preside over any public policy. Literature argues that the drawbacks of citizen participation are directly related to the level of trust in governmental institutions and in politicians. The present study was carried out on a sample of 250 individuals and aimed to (1) describe citizens’ opinions and trust in politicians and government institutions; and (2) demonstrate that healthy levels of citizen engagement in politics may be upheld as long as citizens trust their political institutions and leaders, through a case study of Portugal’s democratic system. The current study found no statistically significant association between political participation and the study participant’s perception that government representatives heard (p = 0.769) or considered (p = 0.810) their opinions. Similarities were found between the participants’ assessments of the quality of life brought about by the decisions of those in power and the levels of citizen participation around land planning and land management (p = 0.011). Also, citizen assessments of life quality were influenced by their understanding of political decisions (p = 0.014). Effective communication between citizens and politicians will allow both to better understand the aims of political policy. When citizens believe that politicians are honest, show moral leadership and demonstrate integrity, and that these values are upheld by public institutions, a common aspiration can be realized: improving the quality of life.
Highlights
Public participation is one of the major mainstays of democracy, and it inevitably influences the goals of public policy
When citizens believe that politicians are honest, show moral leadership and demonstrate integrity, and that these values are upheld by public institutions, a common aspiration can be realized: improving the quality of life
No statistically significant differences between the two variables, i.e., what do citizens think about the politicians, related to the fact that they consider the population’s opinion and the public’s participation were registered (p = 0.769) (Table 2)
Summary
Public participation is one of the major mainstays of democracy, and it inevitably influences the goals of public policy. In modern democracies, citizen involvement in public policy has decreased significantly. It is important to develop practices that awaken dormant citizens and remind them of the important role that they can play. Public willingness to intervene in policy could improve the quality and meaningfulness of public life. More equitable results could legitimize policy and improve governance [1,2,3,4]. The participation of individuals in selecting solutions to their own problems promotes the common good [5,6,7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
