Democracy must not be included in the fact that we elect some Members every five years and then, until the next election, we can only watch what they decide for us.

Of course, Members are authorised to run the city, take decisions and assume responsibility for them. But that does not mean that the voters will remain only the spectator for five years.

A city does not belong solely to the municipality. People who live here, work here, raise their children, pay taxes or have been back here for decades.

What can we expect from a congressman?

First of all, we want him to really represent us.

We don't just meet him when he asks for a vote. Be available, answer the questions, justify your decisions, and sometimes ask people what problems they see in this city.

The most important measure of a Member's work is not how many events he appeared at, or how many photographs he took. More importantly, what cases you brought to the board, how you voted, what results you achieved, and what you did when a decision was not as promised.

Numerality is not an attack. The natural part of the elected office.

At least once a year, each Member may publish a brief, understandable report:

We don't need dozens of pages of official languages. A few clear sentences to show what the Member has done for the city.

Urban affairs cannot be party-political matches

In a national political debate, it is natural that parties and world views collide. However, in the daily operation of a small town many questions have nothing to do with which party anyone voted for.

A sidewalk is not left or right. A playground, a cultural event, a beach, a pothole, a community space open in the winter or a working parking system is not.

It is not for the Member to automatically repeat the position of a political side on all local issues. You have to listen to the arguments, you need to know the opinion of the locals, and you have to decide on what is in Fonyód's best interest.

Sometimes you have to argue with your own camp. If you can't do that, you don't represent the city. You're doing a political discipline.

Fonyód is too small to lose good ideas between party politics trenches. At the same time, it is large enough to operate a transparent, cultured and participatory local public life.

Let there be a framework that the Buddapestans can decide on.

It is not that the entire budget of the city should be put to a public vote. Financial operation requires expertise, responsibility and long-term planning.

But every year, it would be possible to separate a predetermined amount of money from which the Fonyód authorities would decide directly on its use.

This could be, for example, a 10-30 million HUF participation budget. The locals could submit ideas and the municipality would examine whether they were legally and technically feasible. Of the right proposals, the citizens of this city would then have a choice.

Such objectives could be put to the vote:

This would not only create a few new benches or events. The people of Fonyód could also experience that their ideas can be a tangible result.

The vote is not just a vote

There could be several forms of participation.

They could be regular, truly open city forums where they don't make ready decisions, but ask people in time. For more important developments, there could be short, understandable online questionnaires. Members could have published betting lessons, the date and outcome of which are also made public.

You could create a simple digital interface where the Buddapestans:

That doesn't require a complicated and expensive IT system. A well-built web interface, proper identification and transparent rules would be sufficient to start.

Of course, we must also keep the possibility of personal and paper participation for those who do not want to use digital surfaces.

The representative is not infallible - but he has responsibilities

No Member can be expected to make the right decision at all times. Running a city is a complex task, and after that, it's easy to be smarter.

However, we can rightly expect decisions to have a master. If something doesn't work, don't blame everyone else. If a plan proves wrong, it can be corrected. If a promise is not fulfilled, let us have an understandable explanation.

It's not a good leadership that never admits its mistakes. A good leadership that notices them in time rectifies them and does not treat those who ask as an unpleasant obstacle.

Criticism is not hostile. Sometimes the person who cares about this town asks the most questions.

Fonyód could be an example of this

In a small town, it's much easier to make real participation than at national level. We know each other, use the same streets, beaches, shops and institutions. We also see the consequences of a bad decision and the results of a good development directly.

Fonyód should not wait until a perfect system is invented elsewhere. We could start small: a certain amount, some retail proposals, a transparent vote and public representation reports.

Democracy does not just mean that we sometimes choose who to choose for us. It also means that in the meantime, we can ask questions, suggest, check, and form the city directly on certain matters.

Fonyód is not an audience. This city belongs to people who live in it every day.