Decoding Stakeholder Sentiments in E-governance: Insights into an EU Cohesion Policy Digital Platform

Abstract

The European Union’s cohesion policy has increasingly adopted digital tools to streamline funding applications and implementation. Centralised platforms now facilitate communication between regulatory institutions and stakeholders, enabling information exchange and issue resolution throughout the project lifecycle. A key sample is Portugal’s POSEUR programme (2014–2020), which pioneered E-governance in EU funding through its Balcão de Fundos platform. This study applies sentiment analysis to 35 semi-structured interviews, using a DistilBERT-based dependency parser to explore institutional and regional differences in digital tool acceptance. Findings show that stakeholders in digitally advanced regions like Lisbon and the North express predominantly positive sentiment, while those in central and rural areas exhibit mixed or negative attitudes. These results underscore the significance of digital literacy and infrastructure in ensuring equitable and effective adoption of E-governance mechanisms across regions. The study highlights the need for targeted support to bridge digital divides and foster inclusive participation in EU cohesion policy processes.

 Keywords: E-governance, EU cohesion policy, sentiment analysis, networks, sustainability, Portugal