Organising a cooperative and continuous democracy: The municipal constitution of the Molières

January 2021

In order to involve the inhabitants in the municipality’s projects and decisions, the elected representatives have drawn up this text with citizens, which supports municipal management based on a participatory approach. It has no legal value in the eyes of the state, but for the municipality, it aims to organise democratic life in the village, based on « more active participation by citizens ».

Areas of intervention

Ile-de-France - Essonne

This municipal constitution is a methodological tool for organising the democratic life of the municipality. While everyone is free to express their own opinions, we affirm our collective independence from partisan structures and demonstrate our ability to unite behind projects. The municipal constitution specifies the moral relationship between the elected representatives and the citizens, around tools of co-construction, with a continuous participatory methodology during the mandate, beyond the projects proposed during the municipal election. This text, although it does not have the value of a law in the eyes of the State, commits us locally to involve citizens in the projects and decisions of the municipality. Any decision of the Municipal Council will be taken in accordance with the law, but we are sovereign in the way we share options and projects with our fellow citizens in an upstream process. In other words, if we are part of a representative democracy, we cannot conceive of delegated power being exercised without the participation of citizens. Thus, this municipal constitution specifies the organisation of local democracy and, through it, how to enrich the decision-making processes.

Objectives

Develop and formalise the participatory and cooperative method at the commune level.

Course of events

The village has distinguished itself in this matter for the past 5 years: citizen votes, messed up advisory committees, tools for « co-construction ». This « Municipal Constitution » has carved these practices in marble, and, perhaps, it will make others want to follow suit… Adopted by the Municipal Council on March 25th after having been worked on in 2018, this text sets out the moral relationship between elected officials and citizens, to encourage the renewal of political practices…

Context

Development of a participatory and cooperative method at the commune level

Difficulties encountered

None, apart from the significant amount of collective and individual work time.

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Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Dossier:

Public services: principles, management, actors
- Users' roles in public service delivery (public services and democracy)

Territories:

France