Describe a problem
Describe something in town that needs solving: what happens, where and who it affects. We call this a diagnosis, and it is where proposals start.
Real example · Cardedeu
«There are underused facilities and spaces»
Suggest improvements for your town and see which ones have the most support.
On Bema, residents explain what needs fixing, make concrete proposals and support the ones they want to prioritise. Everything stays in plain view.
Free · No ads, no parties · The pilot is non-binding
What you can do
Three ways to take part
Do one, two or all three. A few minutes a month is enough.
Make a proposal
One proposal a month, with a form that guides you: which problem it solves, what you propose and who benefits. If a similar one already exists, we show it to you so you can join forces.
Real example · Cardedeu
«A self-managed youth space of their own»
Give your support
Each month you get a limited number of supports to share among the proposals you think matter most. The longer you keep a support, the more it counts.
Real example · Cardedeu
“La Tèxtil Rase, a civic and community centre with a participatory usage plan” has 33 supports and currently tops the priorities.
Live
What Cardedeu is prioritising
The proposals with the most support right now.
- participants
- 11
- proposals
- 72
- diagnoses
- 9
- supports
- 168
- 1
La Tèxtil Rase, a civic and community centre with a participatory usage plan
33 supports - 2
A self-managed youth space of their own
27 supports - 3
A participatory redesign of Plaça Joan Alsina
21 supports
How it works
The path of an idea, step by step
This is the full path of an idea on Bema. The pilot switches it on in phases: the core first, then the rest.
- 1
Someone describes a problem
Any registered person can describe something the town needs. It is published so everyone else can read it.
- 2
A proposal is made
Each person can publish one proposal a month. An assistant helps you write it more clearly and translates it into Catalan, Spanish and English.
- 3
Similar ideas come together
While you write, Bema shows you proposals similar to yours, so you can support them instead of repeating them. Later on, two identical proposals will be able to merge.
- 4
Randomly chosen residents review it
Seven people drawn by lot read the proposal without knowing who wrote it and decide whether it is well put together. If not, the author gets the reasons so they can improve it.
- 5
The town supports it
Supports are limited and gain weight over time: they count 1 on the first day, 2 after a week and 3 after two weeks. Steady support outweighs a last-minute campaign.
- 6
It reaches the administration
When a proposal has enough support, Bema sends it to the responsible administration with its full history. The administration decides what to do with it, and its answer is published.
Why "Bema"?
A step, not a throne.
The bema (Greek: βῆμα) was the stone platform for speakers on the Pnyx — the place where any citizen could step up and address the assembly. Not a throne for rulers, but a step carved into the rock for anyone who wanted to speak. The name captures the same promise: a level surface where every voice starts equal.
Why it is different
Built so good ideas move forward
What you say counts, not who says it
In the citizen review nobody sees who wrote the proposal. Ideas are judged on their content.
Few proposals, well thought out
One proposal a month per person avoids a flood of posts and makes everyone choose carefully what to propose.
Limited supports
There are no endless likes. You have a few supports and must share them out, like in a real vote.
Everything in the open
The town’s priorities are public. When the administration answers, its answer will be public too.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask us most
Is it binding? What happens to the proposals?
It is not binding. Bema cannot force the town council or any other administration to act. It shows openly what the town wants and, when a proposal has enough support, sends it to whoever is responsible. If the administration decides to take it on, it must say so publicly and we record it.
Who can take part?
Anyone aged 14 or over who signs up in their municipality. You can take part in open municipalities; every other one already has its public page. If yours is not open yet, sign up there: the Bema team will get your request and we will email you when it opens.
Does it cost anything?
No. Taking part is free and there are no ads.
Will my name be shown?
Your email address is never shown. Your username identifies your account and does not appear next to the proposals and diagnoses you publish.
Where we come from
2,500 years ago in Athens, any citizen could step up onto the bema and speak to the assembly. Bema wants to bring that idea to your town, now open to everyone.
Read the full visionYour town can decide like this too
Create your account in a minute and start by reading what your neighbours propose.
Create your account