[Participatory Local Budgets} Participative Budgets in some Portuguese Cities

Despite the proliferation of Participatory Budgeting to nearly two dozen Portuguese cities and the existence tools such as Participatory Democracy Petitions of Citizens Legislative Initiatives and Referendums, the truth is that Participatory Democracy has not yet come to parties.

And if not reached, not reached due to the phenomenon that best characterizes the contemporary Portuguese society: Fear. Fear to innovate, Fear Decide, Act of Fear and the Fear of Speaking. In the case of partidocracia, partidocratas the fear that internal change in the forms of life management partisan change the internal balance of power and influence and that the influx of citizens to parties eventually repel the bosses in them - since 1976 - will be alternating.

But despite this fear for change, the parties will have to be open to civil society, to exit out of your tired and exhausted circle of comfort (militant and employees) and open the doors to citizens: thus able to renew their own ranks with new blood , creativity and innovation, and in this way remain active in a society increasingly demanding.