Article Author: Anett HORVÁTH

Participatory budgeting (PB) represents one of the most widely adopted innovations in contemporary democratic governance, linking fiscal decision-making with deliberative citizen engagement. Originating from the Global South in the late 1980s, PB has evolved into a globally disseminated institutional form that reshapes the relationship between citizens and local governments. This paper examines the institutionalization and financial dynamics of participatory budgeting in Hungary through four case studies: Szentendre, Győr, Pécs, and Budapest’s 8th District (Józsefváros). The analysis applies a qualitative, comparative research design and draws on both empirical data and international benchmarks (Porto Alegre, Madrid, Paris, Vienna). The findings reveal that while Hungarian PB processes operate with modest fiscal weight (0.2–0.5% of local budgets), they produce substantial governance and social learning effects, strengthening transparency, trust, and administrative adaptability. The study concludes that PB in Hungary represents a deliberative–consultative model of governance: financially limited but democratically productive, offering a platform for incremental institutional learning within constrained fiscal systems.

Keywords: Participatory Budgeting; Public Management; Fiscal Governance; Deliberative Democracy; Municipal Innovation; Hungary

Article Review Status: Published

Pages: 1 - 13

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