Participatory mechanisms in Peruvian democracy: an analysis of their effectiveness

• Lozano Tello, Gladys Jeanette (Universitat de Valencia)

Abstract

In the nineties, a process of incorporation regarding various participatory democracy mechanisms was started in Latin America within the representative democracy model, in order to correct governance problems.

Peru was part of this democracy radicalization process, and several democracy mechanisms of participatory democracy were incorporated into its legal system based on the promulgation of the 1993 Constitution, the 1994 Citizen Rights of Participation and Control Law, and the Participatory Budget Framework Law, approved in 2003.

Despite the benefits offered by the proponents of these participatory democracy mechanisms, the social situation in Peru is still troubling respecting its social conflict levels, which are related to the distance perception between citizens and their representatives, even though some improvements have been shown.

In this sense, we have considered relevant to know what has been the real impact of the participatory democracy mechanisms in Peru? To answer this question, the research begins with a brief review of the democracy theories as a critical response to representative democracy, to then review the use of participatory democracy mechanisms up to date in Peru; finally a balance of their benefits to the Peruvian reality is provided.