How come I’ve never heard of this? With a «participatory budget», a municipality earmarks part of its overall budget for residents to decide upon. Pioneered in Brazil in the 1980s, Paris adopted the concept ten years ago. Anyone aged eight (yes, 8) and older can submit ideas, and residents vote directly on where to spend the money. 5 percent of the city’s total budget is now spent this way – hundreds of millions of euros a year, the largest participatory budget in the world.

From Weekly Filet #558, in January 2026.