The democratic experiment that could solve France’s yellow vest crisis

Citizens deciding on local budgets could address the increasing disconnection between elected representatives and those who voted for them

‘We need participatory budgeting now more than ever,’ says the deputy mayor of Paris (AFP/Getty)

When Anne Hidalgo became the mayor of Paris in 2014, she had a bold idea: let citizens decide what to do with the city budget.

“I trust the Parisians,” she said. “This town they know better than anyone, I want them to help us construct it and make it grow.”

Paris is in its fifth year of allowing citizens to propose and vote on projects to fund from 5 per cent of the annual city budget, or €100 million euros. The projects have ranged from cycle ways, to community gardens, to health services for the city’s homeless.