Empowering the people: The evolution and impact of Portugal’s citizens’ legislative initiatives in a comparative perspective

Abstract Citizens’ legislative initiatives (CLIs) are vital instruments of direct democracy that allow citizens to participate in decision-making and influence the legislative agenda. Despite the growing interest globally, there has been limited scholarly attention on Portugal, which implemented this tool in 2003. This study conducts an in-depth case analysis of CLIs in Portugal, examining their legal evolution, institutional design within the European context, and their usage and success. An original dataset characterizes the initiatives, proponents, and subscribers to provide comprehensive insights. While efforts have been made to make CLIs more accessible in Portugal, the existing requirements and procedures remain moderately accessible, with high signature-to-population ratios and lengthy processing times. The study also finds that most CLIs face rejection, expiration, or withdrawal. Successful CLIs, which result in legislation, often lead to laws that are significantly different from the original proposals. This discrepancy arises because parties substantially modify the original texts during the parliamentary discussion and citizens have little influence over the final version of the law. This research highlights the challenges and limitations faced by CLIs emphasizing the need for reforms to enhance citizen influence in the legislative process and the importance of balancing parliamentary control with genuine and meaningful citizen participation.