2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

The annual Kremlin referendum is a local referendum that was initiated in 2021 with the aim of reconciling citizens with their polling stations. This measure follows, in particular, the debate initiated by the Yellow Vests movement on the Citizens' Initiative Referendum (RIC) and the strong demand for more direct democracy. Faced with a lack of confidence in democracy expressed in growing abstention at every election, the town of Kremlin-Bicêtre is offering its residents a new approach to voting: that of choosing for a project of general and local interest.

The annual nature of this scheme is important, as it makes it possible to systematically vote for a project, thereby strengthening direct democracy and thus citizens' involvement in the life of the city. Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is the only town in France to repeat this process every year.

The innovation of this project lies in the fact that it is possible to develop democratic practices by testing and proposing alternative approaches that enable citizens to make their choices in the projects that will shape their city of the future.

Kremlin-Bicêtre Ville aims to achieve 50% participation within 6 years.

• https://www.kremlinbicetre.fr/actualites/les-kremlinois-napprouvent-pas-larret-de-leclairage-public-entre-0-h-30-et-5-h-30/ (External link)