Governments and citizens recognise that ambitious structural reforms are required to address key challenges such as boosting productivity, responding to population ageing and optimising the digital and green transformations. Yet, even when there is broad public support for these policy goals, approval for specific policy measures to advance them, or mitigate associated disruptions, can be challenging to secure.
Structural reforms that require large-scale changes in regulation, institutions and public spending can involve significant uncertainty regarding their overall cost and who will benefit or lose. Their implementation, and public support for them, has been shaped by recent shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures following Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts. Governments must also weigh the threats of misinformation and disinformation when planning for reform. Finally, evidence suggests that public views have grown more dispersed – and in some cases polarised – on a number of key policy issues, including on climate change. As a result, policymakers may find it more difficult to identify and build coalitions in support of reform.
To ensure their reform efforts are fully effective, governments will need to respond to citizens’ growing demands for participation and greater involvement in decisions that will shape their livelihoods and future. They must also explain how reforms are designed to be both effective and fair. Reforms which are not built on strong public support can be less impactful and efficient and remain vulnerable to reversal once they have been implemented.
This report highlights the efforts that governments across the OECD are making to design reforms that integrate citizens’ views more systematically and the tools that can help them do so. This includes using data to better understand public perceptions, attitudes and preferences, and making better use of distributional impact assessments. Complementing the 2022 OECD Guidelines for Citizen Participation, the Public Acceptability Tool outlined in this report offers policymakers a new instrument that can consolidate their engagement efforts and develop reform strategies for which public acceptability is fully integrated.
Mathias Cormann,
OECD Secretary-General