CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN VIETNAM: POLICY AND PRACTICE

Abstract

This study employs legal document analysis and PAPI data to clarify the evolution of citizen participation in local governance in Vietnam from policy to practice. The legal framework has continuously expanded the scope of actors, forms, levels of participation, and mechanisms for exercising citizens’ democratic rights. However, PAPI indicators show that actual citizen participation remains limited, and progress is slow, especially in terms of information transparency and local government accountability. A significant gap persists between policy and implementation: while participatory rights have expanded on paper, their enforcement in practice is often formalistic and has a low impact. The study contributes by proposing an integrated approach that combines legal and empirical analysis to assess grassroots democracy (GRD), providing evidence-based insights to inform policies for more effective and democratic local governance.

Keywords: citizen participation; local governance; PAPI, grassroots democracy; Vietnam.