Participatory Democracy in the Digital Age: Thematic Content Analysis of CIMER Applications as a Public Opinion Communication Platform

Abstract

Governmental public relations are a fundamental requirement for institutions to communicate transparently and openly with the public. As a public communication platform, CIMER enhances transparency and accountability in public administration by providing citizens with direct access to authorities regarding public services. In a digital age where the importance of communication becomes more prominent, CIMER acts as a bridge between the state and citizens and strengthens participatory democracy. In this study, the statistics of applications made to CIMER between 2018 and 2023 were analysed. Afterwards, intensive applications made to CIMER on prominent issues in Turkiye's 2023 agenda were subjected to content analysis. The study aims to reveal citizens' “acknowledgement, access to information, opinion/suggestion, request and complaints” regarding public services, enabling public institutions to better understand citizens' needs and provide improved services. Thematic content analysis revealed that CIMER applications are primarily demand-oriented, with most complaints also incorporating requests. The lower frequency of other application types (opinions/suggestions, access to information, and acknowledgement) suggests that CIMER's full potential remains untapped by citizens. In this context, awareness-raising activities to reach wider segments of society about the versatile usage possibilities of CIMER and the different services it offers will further increase the functionality of the platform.