Portuguese municipalities launch participatory budgeting initiatives

Municipalities in Portugal are engaging citizens through participatory budgeting initiatives. In Elvas, the “Meet Elvas” project is among 14 proposals up for vote. The initiative aims to modernize tourism by creating a digital platform and a collectible passport. Through a mobile application, visitors can view monuments in 3D, participate in gamified quizzes, and earn points. The project also plans to use actors and audiovisual content to recreate historical scenes at various landmarks.

In Chaves, the 12th edition of the participatory budget has opened for the 2026 cycle, with 280,000 euros available for community projects. Of this total, 250,000 euros are allocated to urban requalification and public equipment, while 30,000 euros are reserved for cultural and sports promotion. Residents aged 18 and older can submit proposals throughout September.