Citizens’ Satisfaction with “Citizens’ Initiatives”: The Case of the Municipality of Ljubljana

Abstract

Based on a survey, this article analyses the satisfaction with communication between citizens and public servants in the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL). It highlights the potential of a citizen relations management tool to emphasise the importance of effective communication between the municipality and citizens, the role of civic engagement in the development of the municipality and the importance of understanding and managing differences in satisfaction between citizens and public servants. A notable satisfaction gap exists, with citizens generally more satisfied than public servants, except for accessibility to initiatives and problem-solving. The study recommends adopting successful tools, such as those used in Ljubljana, to improve communication, citizen participation and the quality of services. It emphasises the importance of understanding communication dynamics to tailor municipal improvements and promote civic engagement and calls for further research in Central and Eastern European municipalities.