Collaborative Governance in Portugal – Yes or No? A critical approach based on an empirical survey

Collaborative governance can be defined as a concerted type of decision-making and collective action in which government bodies and private sector stakeholders interact as equal partners with the aim of achieving outcomes of interest for both parties. In practical terms, this is a type of governance where special meetings and negotiations are held – typically in somewhat elitist and secretive settings – with the aim of defining shared responsibilities and benefits associated with joint public-private ventures. Academic authors in favour of the adoption of collaborative governance in Portugal tend to present a rather positive view on the merits of this approach. They argue that it is potentially the best approach to address the heavily bureaucratic and paternalistic traits of Portuguese planning. This is against the view of authors who consider collaborative governance problematic for the public interest. Some of these sceptical authors add that collaborative governance has become in fact a surreptitious tool for the advancement of neoliberal goals. This debate raises a dilemma: should or should not collaborative governance be adopted by Portuguese local authorities in matters related with spatial planning? Based on an online survey, this research portrays the perceptions held by planners and planning-related professionals (e.g. planning academics, consultants) about collaborative governance in Portuguese local authorities. The empirical results suggest that, in general terms, these individuals consider collaborative governance capable of delivering a number of positive outcomes, but is also associated with serious risks for the public interest. In sum, they simultaneously endorse the views of academic writers in favour and against collaborative governance. The respondents generally agree that more research on the topic is needed and that a clearer legal framework should be produced to regulate the use of this governance type to protect the public interest. These results are used to critically discuss collaborative governance in Portugal and identify possible alternative directions for the future of public decision-making and action in this country at the local authority level. This work was financially supported by: Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016431 – funded by European Structural and Investment Funds (FEEI) through - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE2020 and by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.