Evaluating transparency policy in Belgium: A citizen science assessment of FOI implementation at the municipal level

This research evaluates the effectiveness of FOI policy implementation in Belgian municipalities, using citizen science methodologies for data collection and interpretation. The results reveal significant variations in compliance across regions, with larger municipalities demonstrating greater responsiveness to FOI requests from citizens. A critical finding is the hesitant response of administrations to inquiries from citizens known for their transparency expertise, indicative of a widespread defensive administrative stance towards FOI requests within Europe. The study proposes policy reforms,... Mehr ...