The purpose of the thesis was to analyse the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in shaping public policies in Slovenia and to assess the extent to which existing institutional mechanisms enable their effective inclusion in decision‑making processes. The research draws on theoretical approaches of participatory governance, network governance and the advocacy coalition framework, all of which emphasise the importance of involving diverse actors in public policy processes.
The aim was to identify how NGOs participate in policy-making, which cooperation mechanisms are most common in practice, what challenges they face, and what their actual influence on political decisions is. A qualitative comparative case study approach was used to examine concrete practices of cooperation between the state and civil society. The empirical part focused on four public policy areas: environmental, migration, social, and anti-corruption and digital policies. Selected Slovenian NGOs representing different models of operation and influence were included in the analysis.
The results show that NGOs in Slovenia play an important but uneven role in public policy processes. Their strongest influence is found in environmental policy, where strong expertise, institutionalised cooperation mechanisms and links to European networks enable active involvement in policy formulation and evaluation. In migration and anti-corruption policies, NGOs primarily act as watchdog and advocacy actors, with influence grounded in the legal framework, public pressure and international standards. In social policy, NGOs have a significant service‑providing and partnership role, but limited influence on strategic decisions.
The research concludes that key factors shaping NGO influence include organisational capacity, access to information, institutional openness and international embeddedness. Major limitations include project-based funding, administrative burdens, formalistic participation and limited access to early policy‑making stages. Despite formal participation mechanisms, a gap remains between the normative role of NGOs and their actual influence. Strengthening funding stability, improving transparency and the quality of consultations, and ensuring earlier and more substantive involvement would enhance participatory governance in Slovenia.
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