Factors influencing the information disclosure and access to information in municipalities

Abstract Transparency and access to information are important for public scrutiny, participation and accountability, contributing to citizens’ confidence in the local government. To increase access to public information, local governments resorted to active transparency through the dissemination of public information on their websites, in a free and open manner. This study reviews the influence of socioeconomic and political factors in the management of active transparency of public policies in Portuguese municipalities. The study uses the panel data methodology, which has not yet been used to review active municipal transparency in Portugal, empirically testing the factors that influence the disclosure of public information, using the transparency index as a proxy. Empirical evidence was found regarding the political and socioeconomic factors that have influenced the level of municipal transparency. Since studies regarding Portuguese cases are scarce, this investigation contributes to the understanding of the municipalities’ responses to society’s pressures for more transparency.