Navarra’s Mobile Citizen Service Office Named Finalist in the European Innovation in Politics Awards for Its “Democracy on Wheels” Model
The Mobile Citizen Service Office of Navarra has been selected from among 300 entries from 35 countries to compete for the 2026 European Innovation in Politics Awards. The winners will be announced on 30 October at a gala ceremony to be held in the Portuguese town of Cascais, which has been designated this year’s European Capital of Democracy.
A citizens’ jury made up of more than 1,000 people from across Europe selected the finalists for these awards, which are promoted by the Innovation in Politics Institute, an organisation founded in 2016 to support organisations and institutions in the development of innovative projects. The awards were launched in 2017 to recognise excellence, inspire new ideas, foster collaboration and drive meaningful political change. Over the years, they have helped create a significant database of pioneering democratic initiatives, designed to provide governments with examples they can use to improve public administration.
As a finalist, Navarra’s Mobile Citizen Service Office will play a leading role at the 2026 Innovation in Politics Awards Conference and Gala next autumn. The event will bring together political innovation experts, policymakers, public sector professionals, civic leaders and changemakers from across Europe in Cascais for a day of exchange, inspiration and celebration.
"You are part of an exceptional group of finalists who are addressing major challenges in their communities and helping to shape the future of democracy across Europe," the awards organisation told the Government of Navarra.
"Democracy on Wheels"
The Navarrese candidacy is among a selection of 80 finalists, with 10 shortlisted projects in each of the eight award categories: Challenging Authoritarianism, Climate Protection, Democracy (the category in which Navarra’s Mobile Office is competing), Digital Innovation and Governance, Education, Local Civic Participation, Public Health and Ageing, and Strengthening Europe.
In its application for the awards, the Mobile Citizen Service Office describes itself as a service that delivers "democracy on wheels" and seeks to promote equal access to public services, focusing on hard-to-reach communities, areas at risk of depopulation, and older age groups.
"What makes this project truly innovative is not only its mobility but also the ambition behind it. The mobile office is not simply an outreach service but a fully operational public administration platform that integrates digital services, participation tools and personalised assistance into a single accessible unit. It combines territorial cohesion, digital inclusion and open government within a travelling platform that functions simultaneously as a service hub, a participation space and a genuine institutional presence. For communities that have long felt forgotten by public institutions, that presence is enormously significant," explain the team behind the initiative.
More Than 5,000 Citizens Assisted, 6,800 Procedures Completed and 68 Municipalities Visited Since March 2025
Navarra’s Mobile Citizen Service Office, promoted by the Citizen Services Unit of the Department of the Presidency and Equality and managed by the public company NASERTIC, was launched in March 2025 with the aim of providing a mobile, versatile and accessible service that brings public services closer to towns and villages with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants.
The project forms part of the First Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and reflects the Government of Navarra’s commitment to a new model of citizen services and engagement based on values such as proximity, proactivity, active listening, accessibility and inclusion.
Since its launch, the Mobile Office has assisted more than 5,000 people (2,268 men and 2,902 women, according to the latest available data) and has visited 68 municipalities. In total, it has carried out 6,836 procedures, nearly 50% of them related to obtaining digital credentials through the Cl@ve system, the Cl@ve app or digital certificates (3,369 procedures). A further 35.6% were information enquiries (2,440), 10% were online administrative procedures (692), and 4.9% were registration procedures (335).
Particularly noteworthy is its specialised housing advisory service, launched in February 2026, as well as the pilot project carried out this year to bring face-to-face assistance for the 2025 Income Tax Campaign to areas located far from permanent service offices.
The Mobile Office also provides services to the Department of Territorial Cohesion through the Directorate-General for Local Administration and Depopulation, handling procedures related to Navarra’s depopulation strategy. In 2025, it also delivered employment training and advisory services for the Navarre Employment Service (SNE-NL).
The Mobile Office is a 16-metre-long facility with 55 square metres of usable floor space. Its deployment required an investment of €650,000. It is a fully accessible space, featuring Braille signage, tactile guidance paths, NaviLens audio descriptions, videos in Spanish Sign Language (LSE), Easy Read signage and access for people with reduced mobility.
The service is provided bilingually in Spanish and Basque. It offers information about the services provided by the Government of Navarra, acts as a registration office for submitting documentation and applications, provides guidance on creating a digital identity and carrying out procedures online, and collects complaints and suggestions regarding the Regional Administration of Navarra.
Source: navarra.es
