CONDITIONS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF E-PARTICIPATION INSTITUTIONS: THE CASE OF NON-COMPETITIVE POLITICAL SYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-1067-2026-1-25-37Keywords:
e-participation, civic participation, qualitative comparative analysis, public policy, digitalization, state capacity, governanceAbstract
There is no consensus on why some countries are more successful in implementing e-participation institutions than others. This study contributes to this debate by focusing on non-competitive political systems. A qualitative comparative analysis was conducted on a sample of 68 countries for the period of 2014–2024. The analysis identified two necessary conditions for success: a high level of digital capacity that enables the countries to exercise political control over the Internet, as well as sensitivity towards the global trends in innovation diffusion. Furthermore, two sufficient combinations of conditions were found. All successful countries actively rely on performance-based legitimation strategies and engage with the UN in the area of e-participation. Their paths then diverge, with success achieved either through strong administrative and digital capacity or through civil society engagement and interaction with the Open Government Partnership. This study contributes to cross-national e-participation research, as well as to the debate regarding the Internet development in non-competitive political contextsReferences
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