A two-dimensional framework of citizen participation in digital transformation of European cities

The digital transformation of urban governance now increasingly emphasizes citizen participation through online channels. At the same time, corporate involvement generates concerns about the control of urban governance, misuse of citizens’ data, and privatization of public goods. This chapter aims to unveil the relationship between citizen participation and corporate power in the digital transformation of urban governance by constructing a two-dimensional framework of citizen and corporate participation using a sample of cities in Europe. Regression analysis shows that low-level citizen participation, associated with higher corporate participation, is more common in digital transformation policies. Cities with stronger political voice, accountability, rule of law, and larger population sizes are more inclined to favor citizen participation. Cities with low political efficiency, but high corruption control, tend to promote corporate participation. Finally, the study finds that high-level citizen participation explains cities’ performance in the planning and building of green spaces.