In good hands? Germany after the general elections
Following the federal elections in Germany on 22 September 2013, coalition talks are slowly getting underway. For democracy activists, Friday 27 of September was a day to call for the introduction of the referendum at national level with a special action in front of the...
“Direct Democracy is the best cure for our society"
Georgeta Ionescu, a long-time environmentalist and political activist, fights against fracking, a new technology to win energy. Ms Inonescu is one of the founding members of the democracy group in Romania founded in July this year. We had the chance to speak to Georgeta Inonescu...
Sofia city council rejects referendum on ending contract with"Sofia water"
A citizens’ initiative against private water supply in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia was stopped on 5th September this year when the municipal council rejected a referendum calling for ceasing the city’s concession agreement with the private company “Sofia Water”, which is under...
Bolivia's people must have right to self-determination
Alarming news by the Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu, indigenous people of Bolivia, reached Dr. Klaus Hofmann in our office in Cologne today: The premises of the National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ ) in La Paz were violently stormed by people who seem to...
Ecuador: 'Me gusta politica - I like politics!'
When staying in Ecuador last year, I very often heard the message from people: `No me gusta politica!' – ‘I do not like politics! However, now people want to get involved in politics as they plan to collect about 584 000 signatures in order to decide themselves on the future of...
South Tyrol: Democracy activists reach high mountain tops
Each year the Stelvio Pass in South Tyrol is blocked for motor traffic. Instead, the highest mountain pass in the Eastern Alps paves way to cyclists only. This year, on 31 August 2013, five activists of the “Initiative for More Democracy” climbed 2 760 metres of altitude by bike...
"A successful citizens’ initiative is not the end but the beginning”
Today on 9th September the campaigners of the European Citizens’ Initiative “Water is a Human Right” start handing over the collected signatures to the competent authorities in the EU Member States, which now need to certify the signatures. Overall, about 1,9 million citizens...
New democracy group in Romania
Building democratic societies and introducing effective citizens’ participation means a mammoth task to many countries of Eastern Europe. However, there are democratic approaches worthwhile pursuing, such as the work of the Slovakian democracy group...
Democracy International presents EU campaign
On 21 August 2013 Democracy International presented the campaign for a more democratic EU at the European Forum Alpbach in Austria, an interdisciplinary conference for science, politics, business and culture held annually in the small town in Tyrol. Gerald Häfner, chairperson of...
Walking 675 kilometres for the referendum in Germany
On 18 August 2013 Michael von der Lohe, Director of the organisation Omnibus and activists from all over Germany started a walk of 675 kilometres to cross Germany from East to West. The aim is to reach the capital of Berlin on 27 September 2013, the day the federal elections...