On ballot measures in Bill Clinton's home state
Arkansas is neither vibrant New York nor sunny California. Located in the South-Mid of the US, Arkansas is average: the state ranks 32nd in terms of population and 29th in geographical size. At the same time, the "Natural State" has produced extraordinary figures: Bill Clinton (...
"Chile is only half of a democracy"
Dr. Edgardo Condeza is a Chilean scholar, and the founder and president of Movimiento por la Consulta y los Derechos Ciudadanos, an organisation which promotes direct democracy in Chile. From his extensive biography we should highlight his activism on environmental topics; as...
"Direct democracy is like Dynamite"
We had the opportunity to interview Joe Mathews, co-organiser of Democracy International's upcoming "Big River of Democracy Tour" through the US States Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana in November 2014. Joe Mathews is a board member of Democracy International and a...
„Stop TTIP“ running
On Saturday, 11 October 2014, thousands of people throughout Europe protested against the European Union’s plans to conclude the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the USA and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. The the...
Capital of transparency is online
On 1 October 2014, the German city of Hamburg officially launched a website that allows citizens to openly access the city’s public documents. The new “transparency portal” is the result of transparency legislation that our German partner organisation Mehr Demokratie had...
Scotland: A true victory for people power
The citizens of Scotland have decided. Against full independence. But also for more democratic powers for all citizens. In a fascinating process, which could become a model for how to conduct a referendum on sovereignty, Scotland’s conversation on people power can now inspire a...
Summer Academy 2014: Seeds planted!
From 8 to 12 September democracy activists from all over Europe gathered in the German city of Wittenberg, close to Berlin, to learn how to implement and develop a democracy organisation. The summer academy was organised by Democracy International.
European Commission rejects ECI "Stop TTIP"
On 11 September the European Commission announced to reject the registration of the European Citizens' Initiatve "Stop TTIP", which an alliance of civil society groups had proposed to the EU's executive body in mid July 2014. Mehr Demokratie e.V., Democracy International's ...
Tying tissues for better direct democracy
On 1 September 2014, activists of Mehr Demokratie and Democracy International hang up 5000 tissues with the colours of the political parties in power in North-Rhine-Westfalia, Germany's most populated state. The aim was to remind the parliamentarians of their electoral promises...
Scotland: "I still have not made up my mind"
Kate Forsyth, is a 24 year-old research psychologist who recently graduated from the University of Glasgow. She shares with us her personal views on Scottish independence ahead of the referendum to take place in Scotland on 18 September 2014.