Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has announced a significant expansion of its participatory budgeting initiative, “Dalyvauk! Vilnius” (Participate! Vilnius). For the first time, the city is lowering the voting age to 16, allowing teenagers to have a direct say in how municipal funds are allocated. This move coincides with the largest financial commitment in the program’s history, with over €1.6 million earmarked for community-driven projects.
The decision to include 16- and 17-year-olds in the voting process marks a shift in how the city views its younger population. By allowing teenagers to vote on infrastructure and leisure projects, the municipality aims to foster civic responsibility before they reach the legal voting age for national elections. The initiative acknowledges that young residents are among the most active users of public spaces, from skate parks and sports courts to green zones and cycling paths.
A Shift Toward Youth-Led Urbanism
In previous years, while many of the winning projects were specifically designed for youth—such as the Salininkai youth sports park and the “PUMPTRACK” cycling tracks in Pilaitė—the teenagers themselves could not vote for them. Instead, they had to rely on parents or older relatives to cast ballots on their behalf. The new policy removes this barrier, granting them direct agency over their environment.
Lina Koriznienė, head of the Organization Development Group at the Vilnius Municipality, emphasized that young residents are not just “future” citizens but active participants in the city’s daily life today. The goal is to ensure that civic engagement begins in the classroom rather than at the age of 18. This approach is already being modeled in nearly 70 schools across the capital, where students participate in smaller-scale participatory budgets to decide on improvements for their own educational environments.
Record Funding for Community Infrastructure
The 2024 iteration of the program features a total budget of €1.63 million, a record high that reflects the growing ambition of local residents. The municipality noted that as the quality of proposals has improved, so has the need for more comprehensive funding. Many projects that start as simple requests for a sports court often evolve into larger urban renewal plans requiring lighting, pathways, and landscaping to be truly functional for the community.
To accommodate these larger visions, the maximum value for a single city-wide project has been set at €250,000. The budget is divided into two primary categories to ensure both local neighborhood needs and broader city goals are met:
| Project Category | Total Allocation | Maximum Value Per Project |
|---|---|---|
| Small-scale (District/Neighborhood) | €630,000 | Varies by district |
| Large-scale (City-wide) | €1,000,000 | €250,000 |
| Total Program Budget | €1,630,000 | N/A |
Evolution of Participatory Budgeting in Vilnius
Since its inception as a pilot project in two districts in 2021, “Dalyvauk! Vilnius” has grown into one of the city’s most successful engagement tools. Last year alone, residents submitted nearly 500 ideas, with over 17,000 people voting on a final shortlist of 244 projects. The program has already resulted in the creation of numerous leisure spaces, green zones, and upgraded sports facilities that are currently in various stages of planning or completion, such as the Balsiai skateboard park.
The increase in funding is also a response to the practicalities of urban development. City officials found that minimal project fulfillment often led to spaces that were underutilized or lacked longevity. By increasing the budget per project, the city can ensure that new installations are fully integrated into the surrounding architecture and meet modern standards for accessibility and sustainability.
Timeline for Submissions
The window for submitting new ideas for the “Dalyvauk! Vilnius” program is expected to open in the second half of the summer. Residents, including the newly eligible 16-year-old demographic, will be encouraged to propose changes that improve their immediate living environment or the city at large. After a period of administrative review to ensure technical feasibility, the projects will be put to a public vote later in the year.
This initiative places Vilnius among a growing number of European capitals experimenting with “direct democracy” at the local level, providing a blueprint for how cities can use digital platforms and policy changes to bridge the gap between municipal government and the next generation of taxpayers.
Source: Vilniaus miesto savivaldybė
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