The Essence and Differentiation of Forms of Direct Participation of the Local Community in the Local Self-Government

The article examines the forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government. The authors attract attention to the difference in approaches to understanding of the forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government in Ukrainian regulations and low research of the concept of forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government. Сonsidering the existing legal norms, the authors propose to define such forms as ways of personal participation of inhabitants of village or voluntary association in a village community of residents of several villages, settlements and cities in solving problems of local importance.

The article also points out such positive aspects of the forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government as the dynamics of increasing their number and the possibility of spreading in different local communities, variability in solving many problems of local importance. On the positive side, the authors also include the fact that problems of local importance, which were solved using forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government, have a lower risk of protest from members of the local community.

On the negative side, the authors include ignorance of members of local communities about the full range of tools for participation in local government, unpopularity of certain forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government, the possibility of manipulation and violations in their implementation.

In addition, the article presents a classification of forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government. Particular attention is paid to the proposed classification of forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government by the nature of relations between members of the local community and decision-makers, which can potentially be used to improve legislation.

The authors also provide suggestions for improving the existing legal regularity of the forms of direct participation of the local community in the local self-government.