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democracy as a concept- City of Malmoe
City of Malmoe
Sweden

The Problem

Malmö is Sweden's third largest city, where 28% of inhabitants were born abroad. The background to focus on strengthening citizens' participation was a mistrust of politicians and political institutions, low voter turnout in the socially disadvantaged areas, increased crime and increased perceived insecurity. The politicians want to change this through both organizational change and innovative ways to encourage citizens to feel part of their city's development and improve living conditions for all Miami residents.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
The results can be divided into two areas. The first is that Malmö has changed its organization to a city district organization, it makes the citizens getting closer to politicians and civil servants and create a greater understanding of local conditions. The change in organization has also led to a clearer division of responsibility. A special political body has also set up to protect democracy. When it comes to creating forms of participation have the focus been on develop diffrent forms based on population needs and willingness to communicate with the municipality. As a ground for participation political principles have been established for dialogue with citizens on important issues. Citizens' participation has become a part of Malmö's governance process. Methods for participation that are in use in Malmo are for example. citizens' suggestions, e-panel comprising 1600 citizens who offer their services to answer political questions, e-petition more then 200 e-petition have come in two years, The Hallo project more then 5800 proposal have been submitted concerning the change within the district area, MeetingPlace for teenagers and specific participation projects in social vulnerable parts of Malmö.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
Proposals and decisions for changes of the organization and the empowerment of citizens is a political decision in Malmo. It is the politicians who have taken responsibility for the need for change to make Malmö a better city for its residents. Implementation has been divided between politicians, officials, civil society and citizens.
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(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The City of Malmö is working to ensure that its people gain greater confidence and engagement

• by being well informed,
• by moving policy and activity decisions to local levels in order to achieve better foundations for decision-making by working closely with and holding dialogue with its citizens,
• by offering citizens of all ages the chance to participate in the development of the service provided by the municipal authority

Guiding ideas about citizen influence in the City of Malmö (selection)

Extract Budget 2009
Security - In Malmö, we shall prevent crime and increase participation. Malmö residents and all visitors to the city have a right to a safe and secure existence. Fighting crime is largely a matter of combating all kinds of poverty and unfair practices that are based on class differences and ethnic affiliation. Malmö's children and young people must be given the social resources required to prevent a future life within criminal subcultures. Social skills are constructed in a collaborative way involving public authorities, club associations and, principally, parents….

… Another way is to improve opportunities to make contact with politicians and municipal administrations for putting forward requests and points of view. The greatest responsibility lies with the city districts, which must give high priority to extending citizen contacts and to find the formats required for enhancing citizen influence. The design and care of the physical environment is of huge significance to a feeling of happiness and confidence. When we design new environments and renew old ones, the question of how best to create confidence should be of great importance.
Malmö - children and young people should be involved in decision-making

Work on youth influence continues to be assigned high priority. The voices of children and young people are important and they should have real influence over their everyday lives. With the new organisational structure, a municipal organisation is being created in which political responsibility is distributed over two levels - a central municipal level and a local level. In this way, it should be possible for local democracy to be strengthened and developed.

Strengthening representative democracy through an attitude of participatory democracy

A participatory democracy approach means seeing the person as a social being and involves everyone being given the opportunity to take part in practical politics.

There is no conflict between a representative democracy and a participatory democracy approach. On the contrary, more commitment and involvement in the decision-making process for more citizens are desirable goals. It provides increased knowledge about the values of Malmö residents, their interests and priorities and therefore a better basis for decision-making. The quality of the decisions may increase since more people have taken part and been involved in producing the basic decision-making data. One challenge in this context is to gather views even from groups that do not express their opinions in the public debate during the period between elections and, as has been emphasised previously, to take minorities into consideration.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
Objectives for city district organisation (1995)

With the new organisational structure, a municipal organisation is being created in which political responsibility is distributed over two levels - a central municipal level and a local level. In this way, it should be possible for local democracy to be strengthened and developed. A subdivision of the municipality into local areas of political responsibility means that the distance between management and citizens is reduced, which means that there are greater opportunities for individual people to influence circumstances within their own area. In addition, the decision-makers obtain better knowledge of local needs, promoting efficiency in the use of resources.

2. Financing the new organisation through the city budget (1996)

3. Implementing the new organisation in the city through building up a new service organisation and new local political bodies. (1996)

4. At the same time building up an local citizens information structure in every new district (1998) – meeting points, local newspapers, political meetings with local citizens’

5. To open up the political meetings for the public (1996)

6. To implement the possibility for citizens to make proposals to the local committees (1998)
7. Implementing a new form of financing the districts depending on their social structure (1996)
8. Developing the service system through implementing new forms of quality management in every service area, preschool, elementary school, the leisure sector, the care for the elderly, local libraries and the office for social benefits, the care of young people and people with addict problems and in need of care ( 2001 – ongoing)

9. Developing eService and eDemocracy like different types of internetservice/information (malmö.se) participation projects like citizens petition (malmöinitiativet), euro petition, citizens panel (malmöpanelen) ( 2007 - ongoing)

10. Special program to involve teenagers in the political decision-making

11. “Citizens dialogue as part of the management process” a decision made by the city council in relation to all political committees to involve citizens in important planning processes. (2010)

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
To get more democracy you have to motivate and inform the local citizens about the possibilities a near local organization can offer. This is a work that has to start already in the elementary schools.
You have to see all of the citizens no matter of age, gender or ethnic background. That’s an ongoing challenge you have to work with.
You have to show results in the democratic area to keep motivation high.
You need politicians who believe in the abilities local citizens can offer in relation to local problems.
To overcome this more or less big struggles you have to believe in people and not stop working.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
I would like to refer to the first question; the resources for the democracy perspective in Malmö where and are financed in city budget. The technical and human resources are coming from the service organizations. The political committees of these organizations make their own decisions relating to the activities in this area. Even the central administration have a budget for example developing eGovernment and eDemocracy.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
Yes the initiative is sustainable and at least transferable in Sweden. It is always a question of political ambitions and budgetpriorities.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
Malmo has a stronger organization that is based on citizens' needs. The citizens of Malmo are more active and positive about the politicians and political institutions. Politicians and officials meet more people than before, and groups that previously did not get their voice heard have now more channels and venues to make their voices heard.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   City of Malmoe
Institution Type:   Other  
Contact Person:   Jürgen Lindemann
Title:   Democracy senior adviser  
Telephone/ Fax:   004640341000
Institution's / Project's Website:  
E-mail:   jurgen.lindemann@malmo.se  
Address:   City of Malmoe
Postal Code:   205 80
City:   Malmoe
State/Province:   Malmoe
Country:   Sweden

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