Specific features of Legal Regulation Territorial Community Members` Participation in Local Self-Government Law-Making Process

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to examine the legal regulation of mechanisms ensuring the participation of territorial communities` members in the rule-making process within local self-government bodies, taking into account the contemporary challenges of democratic governance, European standards, and the conditions of martial law. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of the current legislation of Ukraine, including the Law of Ukraine “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine” and the Law of Ukraine “On Law-Making Activity”, as well as to identifying deficiencies in the legal framework governing community members` participation in municipal law-making.

The methodological basis of the research comprises systemic-structural, comparative-legal, functional and formal-legal methods, which made it possible to determine the conceptual foundations of municipal law-making and to study the specifics of exercises the right of territorial community members to participate in the initiation, drafting and adoption of normative legal acts by local self-government bodies.

The study finds that the legal regulation of mechanisms ensuring community participation remains fragmented and requires further specification and unification of existing approaches, both in light of Ukraine`s European integration course and considering the specific features of the martial law regime. The conclusions emphasize that effective legal regulation of community participation mechanisms in the rule-making process of local self-government bodies is a prerequisite for improving the effectiveness of municipal acts, strengthening public trust in local authorities, and realizing the principle of people`s sovereignty. In turn, the introduction of unified, clear and transparent standards of publicity, accountability and openness in the field of municipal law-making will contribute to the formation of a sustainable model of community participation aligned with the practices of the EU member states.