The European promise of participatory democracy
On 16 June 2015, the Council of the European Union hosted for the first time in history an event directly dedicated to participatory democracy – the European Citizens’ Initiative. Democracy International used this occasion to advocate its proposals for reforming the European...
Initiative on Inheritance tax defeated
An attempt to federalise Switzerland’s inheritance tax system and redistribute wealth by taxing legacies worth more than CHF2 million ($2.15 million) has been rejected by Swiss voters, as expected. On Sunday 14 June 2015, 71% of voters and all 26 Swiss cantons rejected the...
Luxembourg: Cumbersome Way to modern eligibility
The referendum in Luxembourg on 7 June 2015 was a shortcut to extending voting rights for foreigners and young people. But the (already eligible) voters of Luxembourg clearly voted ‘no’. The next step must be a reform of the citizenship law, argues our board member Bruno...
"I will present an alternative to TTIP"
Christian Felber is an Austrian freelance journalist, book author and international lecturer. Co-founder of Attac Austria, he initiated the projects “Democratic Bank” and “Economy for the Common Good”. Christian Felber will hold a lecture at Democracy International’s annual...
After the Super-Vote: Ireland, twelve points!
Hundreds of millions of citizens worldwide have been voting last weekend. While the ballot experiences as such were extremely varied (and sometimes deeply problematic), at least one referendum offered nothing less than a “social revolution”.
"More and more people are gathering signatures to express their political will"
What is our motivation? In this series of interviews, our board members present their ideas of direct democracy and the development of Europe's democratization process. They also talk about the key moment that triggered their activism. This is the eighth interview of our series...
Tunis Declaration on Modern Direct Democracy
More than 400 people from all over the world participated in the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy that took place from 14 to 17 May 2015 in Tunis, Tunisia. At the end of the world's biggest conference on direct and participatory democracy, the participants commonly...
Board re-elected at General Assembly 2015
On the occasion of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy held in Tunis from 14 to 17 May 2015, Democracy International held a general assembly on 16 May 2015. The event was the fourth general assembly in the history of Democracy International as a registered assocation....
"Direct democracy has its place in Tunisia"
26-year-old Ghofran Ounissi is one of the participants of the Global Forum. Born in Tunisia, she grew up in Paris from the age of three years onwards as her parents, both political activists, were exiled to France as political refugees at the beginning of the Ben-Ali...
Global Forum 2015 kicks off in Tunis
On 14 May 2015 the Prime Minister of Tunisia, Habib Essid, officially launched the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy in the premises of the University of Carthage in Tunis, Tunisia. Attended by more than 400 people from all parts of the world, the four-day event is the...