Participatory budgeting under martial law: the case of Ivano-Frankivsk

Brovko, Oleh; Kersting, Norbert

Abstract

This article examines how participatory budgeting (PB) in Ivano-Frankivsk adapted under martial law after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Using a single-case design, we trace institutional changes, shifts in selection criteria, and patterns of civic engagement across the 2021–2024 cycles. Despite bans on elections and public assemblies, the city reinstated PB in 2023 and redirected resources to civil defence, energy resilience, and public safety. Participation fell from 54,961 voters (2021) to 42,047 (2023) but rebounded to near pre-war levels in 2024 (53,459). While the process evidences democratic resilience – stable implementation rates and increased allocations – it also shows wartime centralization and reduced transparency (officials-only working group; missing minutes). We operationalize democratic quality via a five-benchmark rubric (openness, rationality, efficiency, effectiveness, integrity) and map documentary evidence to each dimension. The case demonstrates both the possibilities and limits of digitally enabled PB in crisis settings, clarifying how participatory instruments can preserve civic voice while testing accountability under emergency rule.