A efetividade dos conselhos municipais como instrumentos viabilizadores da gestão democrática e participativa

Abstract

The present work explores the thematic of the councils. It starts from the assumption that councils, constituted at the federal, state and municipal levels of government, are important mechanisms to incorporate the citizens on sphere of decision-making of governments, enabling a more legitimate representation of interests of the population, for improvement of democracy and for the consolidation of the constitutional ideals of democratic government. This work have as object of study the Municipal Council of the Elderly of Santa Maria-RS (COMID). It's a case-study research, whose general objective is to know if the COMID, while social participation space, has contributed to the democratization of public administration. The methodological process included a literature review, analysis of documents (record of meetings and relevant legislations to the COMID) and the application of a questionnaire with closed issues, aiming to know the profile of the counsellors and understand the dynamics of operation of COMID. The collected informations was tabulated in spreadsheet (Excel) and represented in graphics. Faced with the theory of participatory democracy, the results obtained show that, although constituted as a privileged space to publicizar demands, to discuss topics and public politics that concern the elderly, the contribution that the COMID offers for democratization of municipal public management is still very shy. The COMID, especially by the constraints imposed on it by the low support received from the local government, lacks the necessary empowerment to influence on the decision-making of local government. It is concluded by the necessity to value the COMID. Without the necessary support will not be able to promote a process of change in the political culture, to ensure citizens a greater role in the decision-making process of local government and to contribute to the consolidation of a democratic and participative management.