Referendum in Slovakia victim of turnout quorum
To be valid, 50 per cent of Slovakia’s eligible citizens had to participate in the referendum. Yet only 21.41 per cent of eligible voters (= 944,674 citizens) went to the polling stations
On Saturday, 7 February 2015, Slovakia held a referendum on the constitutional definition...
Wolf in sheep’s clothing - TTIP’s challenge to democracy
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) currently being negotiated between the EU and the US is proclaimed to offer promising prospects for economic growth and employment in Europe, a dire need in a continent challenged by a prolonged economic crisis. Removing...
New Navi for direct democracy
The Direct Democracy Navigator is a new research tool that currently features no less than 1227 different instruments in more than 100 countries worldwide. Its revised website, launched this week, is a product of research carried out by Dr. Klaus Hofmann of Democracy...
‘Democratic decentralisation’ theme of Global Forum
Preparations of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy to take place from 14 – 17 May 2015 in Tunis are moving ahead. Democracy International met with key players of Tunisian civil society and academia in Tunisia’s capital last week
Preparations of the Global Forum on...
2015: What kind of Europe? What kind of democracy?
Last year more people were able to participate in elections and referendums across the globe than ever before. But this year a series of popular votes will offer answers to key questions about the future of Europe and its severely challenged democracies. A preview.
The ECI - dead without reforms?
The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a phenomenal tool of transnational direct democracy, allowing citizens to directly influence agenda-setting in the EU. It is the voice of civil society in Europe, and has been used to launch political debate on a great diversity of...
European Citizens' Initiatives: what next?
A recent citizens’ initiative allows Europeans to participate in political decision-making in Brussels – a tool they have used over 50 times in the past few years. The latest on the list is an initiative against the free trade agreement with the US causing headaches on all sides...
Democracy International joins European Movement
On the occasion of its federal assembly in Rome on 28 November 2014, the European Movement International unanimously adopted Democracy International’s membership application. Hence, Democracy International now is a member of the European-wide network that advocates a more...
Hong Kong: Democratic protests escalate
On 25 and 26 November 2014, the police in Hong Kong arrested more than 140 democratic activists, who were protesting for universal suffrage and the possibility to elect the Chief Executive of the special administrative region.
USA: A Super size Democracy?!
It's not just a cliché: In the United States everything is huge: The width of the streets, the portions of food and the vastness of the landscape. After travelling Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana from 3 to 9 November on the occasion of US Election Day 2014, we need to...