A key gap identified by Catalonia’s 2021 PEFA assessment was the absence of citizen participation and consultation in the budget formulation process. This prompted a new reform initiative, and following a period of research and reflection, the Directorate-General of Budget, jointly with the Deputy DG for Citizen Participation, developed, between 2022 and 2023, the conceptual framework for a participatory budgeting model for the Catalan Government, called “Parlem de Pressupostos” (“Let’s Talk About the Budget”).
The initiative was designed as a model of budget consultation that enables citizens to share their views and proposals, helping the Government of Catalonia make more informed budgetary decisions. Integrated into the early stages of the budget cycle, citizens’ participation takes place just before key decisions are made and the draft budget is presented. The process deals with nearly the entire budget, including revenues, expenditures, and fiscal strategy. With a strong educational focus, its combined training activities and contextual explanations enhance public understanding of public finance. To facilitate participation, the initiative was conceived to be multichannel, with both debate sessions, online questionnaires, and resources to organize own debates within civil society institutions.
Strategic alliances and strong institutional support from key stakeholders were essential to the initiative’s design and implementation. The process benefited from the OECD’s technical guidance, the European Commission’s DG REGIO’s institutional backing, and partnerships with UNICEF Catalonia, public universities, and professional bodies such as the Catalan College of Economists and the College of Political Scientists and Sociologists.
Testing and implementation began in the summer of 2023, with an internal pilot with non-specialist civil servants, to test and calibrate the design of the contents and the debate sessions. Following the pilot and the incorporation of several improvements, the first open edition was launched in April 2024 and ran until March 2025. Emphasis was placed on engaging young people — a group typically less involved in participatory processes.
The discussions in this participatory process were organized around the following four thematic areas (see figure below):
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Strategy options to reduce current debt levels (fiscal consolidation options),
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Tax measures to increase fiscal space (with information about potential collection impact and taxpayers affected),
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Prioritization of spending policies and program areas (with background information about welfare indicators and current allocations), and
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Areas to prioritize the allocation of EU Cohesion Funds.
To ensure informed participation in each debate area, tailored background information and explanations were provided to participants at the start of each session.
Between April and May 2024, eight training sessions were organized in collaboration with universities and professional associations across several cities. These sessions introduced key fiscal and budgetary concepts and prepared the ground for more informed participation.
From May 2024 to March 2025, 16 in-person participation sessions—both open and targeted—were held throughout Catalonia, involving around 300 citizens, including adults, children, and adolescents. The open sessions brought together 173 participants, among them university students, members of the public, and representatives of civil society organizations. With the support of UNICEF Catalonia, six additional sessions were conducted across the four provinces, engaging 128 children and adolescents aged 10 to 14 through local youth councils.
The first edition achieved highly positive results. Nearly 90% of participants reported gaining substantial knowledge about public finance, and over 93% felt their participation brought them closer to public institutions. These outcomes demonstrate that, with the right support, citizens of all ages and backgrounds can engage meaningfully in budget-related discussions.
The results of the participatory process were presented at an event in July 2025 and integrated into the 2026 Budget. Throughout all stages, information, materials, resources, announcements and updates were systematically made available on the official citizen participation portal of the Government of Catalonia.
Several new initiatives are planned. These include expanding institutional partnerships, integrating activities into everyday public spaces/centers, enhancing outreach, and adopting standardized, flexible tools to make participation more accessible, scalable, and inclusive.
The Directorate-General of Budget is collaborating with the Department of Education and financial education organizations to introduce the process in secondary schools. This would represent a first step towards extending it to other population groups, supported by enhanced communication campaigns to reach a broader audience.
