RESILIENT DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS: EVIDENCE FROM PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING DURING MARTIAL LAW IN UKRAINE

Abstract

This article analyzes the resilience and adaptation of participatory budgeting (PB) in Ukraine under martial law imposed after the Russian invasion in 2022. The purpose of the article is to understand how PB processes were transformed, sustained, and adapted during wartime conditions. The methodology employed is based on a comparative case study of the Ukrainian cities of Khmelnytskyi and Kamianske, using analysis of official documents, PB platform data, and municipal decisions. The main findings indicate that despite the initial suspension in 2022, both municipalities resumed PB activities, increased funding allocations, prioritized projects addressing wartime needs, and expanded the use of digital platforms to ensure citizen participation, including displaced persons and younger populations. Research limitations stem from the focus on two case studies, which enables an in-depth understanding but does not intend to generalize the results to the entire country. In practical terms, the findings provide relevant lessons for sustaining participatory democracy in contexts of armed conflict. The originality of the study lies in demonstrating how direct democracy tools such as PB can be adapted and function as mechanisms of institutional resilience even under extreme wartime conditions.