The Degree of Institutionalization of Participatory Budgeting in Big Italian Cities: Evidence Based on a New Operationalization

This article explores the degree of institutionalization of Participatory Budgeting in a set of big Italian cities. It does so after proposing a new operationalization for the concept «Institutionalization of Participatory Budgeting», coming from Participatory Budgeting’s history and characteristics. In particular, the article suggests Participatory Budgeting can be considered fully institutionalized when three conditions occur simultaneously: Participatory Budgeting is regulated, regulation is correctly implemented and there are proves local governments want to keep on implementing the procedure at least in the short term. The presence of these three factors is tested in all the cities included in the analysis, so the degree of Participatory Budgeting’s institutionalization for each city is determined. After presenting the results, new methodology’s limitations are also shortly discussed.