CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC POLITICAL NETWORKS

Abstract

The debate on new forms of democracy has translated into a practical concern for citizen
participation, governance and the construction and implementation of public policies. In order for
governments to be accepted by citizens and to be in a position to hold sovereignty and exercise
power, they require two minimum conditions: legality and legitimacy. The evolution of contemporary
democracy went from its representative form to a participatory form in which citizens acquire greater
interest in public decisions and in the integrated process of government; this is the central point that
this paper will address, the evolution to participatory democracy and its impact on governance and
the creation of public policy networks.