Protection of Personal Data in Participatory Budgets and Legislative Initiatives

On October 29, 2026, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Personal Data Protection Office in Warsaw between representatives of the Office and representatives of local government.

The discussions focused on practical and legal issues related to the processing of personal data in the context of participatory budgeting and citizens’ legislative initiatives, specifically regarding the identification of the data controller, the scope of information collected from residents, methods for verifying individuals eligible to vote or support an initiative, as well as rules for protecting personal data.

Monika Krasińska, director of the Law and New Technologies Department at the Personal Data Protection Office, highlighted the need to clarify the regulations governing these issues. In this regard, Mirosław Wróblewski, President of the Personal Data Protection Office, has already sent two letters to the Minister of the Interior and Administration. The first of these concerns the regulation, within the provisions of the Act of March 8, 1990, on Municipal Self-Government, of the rules for processing personal data for the purpose of submitting citizens’ legislative initiatives, in particular the scope of data regarding individuals supporting a draft resolution and the manner in which such data is processed. The second submission addressed the regulation of how personal data is processed for the purposes of conducting the so-called “participatory budgeting” procedure, including the designation of the data controller, the scope of data collected and used to verify voting eligibility, and the assurance of appropriate data protection measures.

Participants in the discussions included representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in Warsaw, the Association of Polish Voivodeships, the Association of Polish Counties, and the National Institute of Local Government, among others.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss the challenges faced by local governments, and engage in a joint discussion on solutions that will ensure adequate protection of personal data while also making it easier for residents to exercise their right to actively participate in the life of their local communities.