Participatory budgeting is a democratic budgeting process in which citizens are directly involved in the allocation of public resources. First introduced in 1989 in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, this model distributes public resources moreequitably andincludecitizens in decision-making processes. Unlike traditional budgeting approaches, this process assigns citizens an active role in the allocation of public resources. With citizens’ participation in the budgeting process, democracy is strengthened, transparency is increased, and accountability is ensured. Therefore, this budgeting model allows citizens not only to have a say in resource distribution but also in public administration.

In the roughly quarter-century since participatory budgeting was first introduced, this method has been implemented in various cities and enriched by experience. During this time, certain practical limitations that prevent citizens from participating havebeenidentified.Particularly,factorsliketimeandtransportationcostsrestrictparticipation,weakening the effectiveness of participatory budgeting. Over time, different approaches have been developed to overcome these challenges, with technology playing a key role in this process. Specifically, the e-participatory budgeting model was developed to enhance participation and reach a broader audience by using information and communication technologies (ICT). This model makes it easier for citizens to engage in the process with the help of digital technologies. Thus, through technology, citizens can play an active role in the budgeting process and participate in decision-making processes. The purpose of this study was to examine the concept of e-participatory budgeting, its differences from traditional participatory budgeting, and examples of municipal applications in Türkiye.

Traditional participatory budgeting processes allow citizens to have a direct say in decisions regarding the allocation of public resources. However, e-participatory budgeting opens this process to a broader audience by using digital tools. This process, which began in Porto Alegre, initially distributed public resources more equitably, especially in poor and marginalised neighbourhoods. Over time, this process has expanded to a broader framework and is now implemented byvarious local governments in manycountries. Compared to traditional budgeting methods, participatory budgeting is more democratic because decisions are not made solely by bureaucrats and politicians; citizens also play an active role in this process. This allows local governments to develop solutions that are more in line with the real needs of citizens when distributing resources. However, several limitations in the implementation of participatory budgeting have been identified. To overcome these limitations, the model has evolved into a more innovative model called e-participatory budgeting.

E-participatory budgeting integrates information and communication technologies into participatory budgeting processes, bringing them onto digital platforms. It was first implemented in 2006 in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and the positive results obtained here have led to the rapid spread of e-participatory budgeting to other countries. This has largely overcome the limitations such as time and transportation costs encountered in the participatory budgeting process. Particularly intermsofcreatingalargeparticipantbase,theeffectivenessofe-participatorybudgetingprocesses is noteworthy. In e-participatory budgeting processes, there are three main user profiles: the organisation structuring the budgeting process (municipality, etc.), the technical managers running the process, and the citizens. In the processes initiated by the relevant organisations, technical managers make the necessary technical arrangements facilitate citizens’ access to projects and increase participation. This allows citizens to obtain information about projects online, vote on them,andprovidefeedback.Thesedigitalprocessesenableamuchlargeraudiencetobereachedcomparedtotraditional participatory budgeting methods. Unlike traditional participatory budgeting, e-participatory budgeting facilitates the more effective use of digital tools. These digital tools provide participants with the following five main functions:

E-voting: Citizens can vote online among the projects presented by the city administration. In some examples, a hybrid voting model is applied, allowing citizens to vote both online and in person.

E-consultation and e-voting: Citizens can submit project proposals and vote online or in person. In this process, proposals are subjected to a technical review, after which suitable projects are uploaded to the platform for voting by citizens.

E-consultation, e-deliberation, and e-voting: Citizens can submit project proposals, discuss them online, and eventually vote. This model is more comprehensive than the others but is applied in a limited number of municipalities.

E-mobilisation and e-monitoring: In this model, deliberations are held in person, while digital tools are used to track the progress of projects and engage citizens in the process.

E-consultation and e-deliberation: Citizens discuss project proposals on online platforms, but final decisions are made by local authorities. This model allows for citizen participation while maintaining the administration’s decision-making authority.

E-participatory budgeting offers many advantages compared to the traditional participatory budgeting model. The use of information and communication technologies makes it possible to reach a wider participant base. In particular, the elimination of limitations such as time and transportation costs has made it unnecessary for citizens to attend  meetings in person, allowing participation through online platforms. Additionally, these digital processes facilitate access to information. Citizens can quickly and thoroughly learn about projects and make informed decisions. Another advantage of the e-participatory budgeting process is that it increases transparency. Since the processes of project voting, implementation, and monitoring are conducted entirely through digital platforms, citizens can closely follow these stages. This strengthens trust between citizens and local governments and contributes to making budgeting processes more democratic. Furthermore, e-participatory budgeting increases participation opportunities, especially for disadvantaged groups. In traditional participatory budgeting processes, elderly people, people with disabilities, or citizens living in rural areas may struggle to participate, but e-participatory budgeting allows these groups to engage more easily in the process.

Although e-participatory budgeting in Türkiye are still in their early stages, some municipalities have successfully implemented this model. The most notable examples in Türkiye include İstanbul and İzmir Metropolitan Municipalities and the Antalya Muratpaşa Municipality.

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) is a municipalities in Türkiye that applies the e-participatory budgeting model most comprehensively. IMM conducts this process through the İstanbul City Council and the İstanbul Planning Agency. Citizens can submit project proposals through online platforms and vote on these projects. In this process, project proposals are analysed according to technical evaluation criteria, and those deemed feasible are submitted for citizen voting. With this digital participation model, the IMM strengthens local democracy, ensure the efficient use of public resources, and increase citizen participation in decision-making processes. Additionally, this process allows citizens of İstanbul to have more say in the city’s management.

Although İzmir Metropolitan Municipality has not yet fully implemented e-participatory budgeting, it has taken significant steps in this direction. The municipality has created the "Bizİzmir" digital platform to enable citizens to participate more in local government decision-making processes. Through the section called "Söz Sende," citizens will be able to contribute to budget processes and propose projects. İzmir Metropolitan Municipality aims to encourage more citizen participation in city management and the direct submission of project proposals through this platform.

The Antalya Muratpaşa Municipality is noteworthy as the first municipality in Türkiye to implement a digital democracy platform. Muratpaşa Municipality conducts e-participatory budgeting processes through the "Komşu Meclisi" platform. This platform effectively uses digital tools to ensure citizens’ direct participation in budget processes. Through this platform, citizens can submit their projects and make suggestions within the specified budget framework. Additionally, the Antalya Muratpaşa Municipality conducts the processes of evaluating projects and voting through an online voting platform. Citizens can discuss projects online and be informed before the voting process. Thus, Muratpaşa Municipality’s digital participation model allows citizens to participate more effectively in budgeting processes.

Althoughe-participatory budgeting has not yet gained widespread popularity in Türkiye, it holds significant potential. The widespread use of information and communication technologies enables local governments to communicate more effectively withcitizensandreachlargeraudiencesintheseprocesses.Inparticular,onlinecitizenparticipationinbudget processes can strengthen democratic processes. This model also helps local governments become more transparent and accountable. Moreover, the inclusion of citizens’ voices in the budgeting process contributes to the efficient allocation of resources based on actual needs. However, there are some issues in current in Türkiye. One of these is access to digital platforms. Internet access and digital literacy levels across Türkiye are still low in some regions. This situation may limit participation in e-participatory budgeting processes. Improving the necessary infrastructure is essential, particularly to enable citizens living in rural areas to engage in these processes. Additionally, the lack of sufficient transparency in the project evaluation processes in some municipalities can weaken citizens’ trust in the process. In this context, clearly and openly presenting how projects are evaluated in terms of technical and financial feasibility will help make participation processes more democratic.

E-participatory budgeting presents a significant opportunity for the local governments in Türkiye. The effective use of information and communication technologies will enable more citizens to participate in budgeting processes while also contributing to the more efficient use of resources. As e-participatory budgeting become more widespread in Türkiye, it is anticipated that citizen participation will increase, and thus democracy will be further strengthened. For this to happen, local governments must provide more opportunities to citizens through digital platforms. Organising digital literacy programmes and increasing internet access will contribute to making e-participatory budgeting more inclusive. Additionally, making the process more transparent and accountable will enhance citizens’ trust in these budget processes and expand participation to a broader audience.

In conclusion, e-participatory budgeting is an essential tool that strengthens transparency and accountability in the use of public resources by local governments while enabling citizens to participate more effectively in decision-making processes. Taking this process further by local governments in Türkiye is crucial for developing democracy. As  e-participatory budgeting becomes more widespread in Türkiye, citizens’ active participation in local government decision-making processes will increase, and public resources will be used more effectively and equitably.