Sub-Municipal Decentralisation at the Crossroads: The transition from Participatory Budgeting to Local Solidarity Governance in Porto Alegre, Brazil

This chapter examines recent policy shifts in the municipal government of Porto Alegre, in the context of the global dissemination of ideologically sterile versions of decentralisation and citizens’ participation. In the Brazilian municipality of Porto Alegre the coalition that took office after the electoral defeat of the left in 2004 has launched a new governance scheme, which allegedly will deepen and broaden civic engagement. The scheme has been praised by mainstream international organisations, but strongly criticised by left parties, local NGOs, engaged researchers and civil society organisations.

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