Participatory budgeting under martial law: the case of Ivano-Frankivsk

Abstract

This article examines how participatory budgeting (PB) in Ivano-Frankivsk adapted under martial law after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Using a single-case design, the study analyzes shifts in project selection, civic engagement, and institutional procedures between the pre-war and wartime periods. The article shows that, despite the restrictions of martial law and the general suspension of many democratic practices, participatory budgeting in Ivano-Frankivsk was not completely interrupted. Instead, it was transformed and redirected toward urgent community needs, including civil protection, energy resilience, public safety, support for internally displaced persons, and infrastructure repair. The findings demonstrate that local participatory mechanisms can survive under wartime conditions, although their democratic quality is affected by reduced deliberation, stronger administrative control, and a narrower range of policy priorities.