sou · H4B35d2 · 2016-10-18 00:00:00 — The Commission therefore believes that it is important that committees of inquiry are requested to work in a consultative and that they are given enough time to consult and receive input from organisations and interest groups, as well as from the general public. Possibilities to influence national decision-making processes through informal tools The Commission’s review shows that informal contact between organisations, interest groups and decision-makers at national level has increased. This development is partly a result of the changed nature of the relationship between decision-makers and organisations and interest groups. Another explanation is the increased complexity of politics and the increasing need for knowledge and information. The ongoing adaptation of politics to the media has resulted in political communication gaining more importance and a growing number of individuals working as ‘idea-brokers’. This development must be regarded as the biggest change in Swedish democracy over the past fifteen years. The Commission believes that there are reasons to be cautious about a development in which politics and ideas are developed in arenas where citizens are not able to participate or be represented by elected representatives. This kind of development could result in fewer possibilities for individuals to participate and exert influence. It could also reduce the possibilities to hold elected representatives accountable for their decisions. In addition, advocacy work is a matter of resources, which affects political equality. Contact between decision-makers and interest organisations should not be regulated Currently lobbying – in the form of informal contact between decision-makers and organisations and interest groups – does not pose a direct threat to democracy. Therefore, the Commission does not propose any rules or regulations that change the conditions for contact between decision-makers and organisations and interest groups, such as registering lobbyists. It is difficult to design these types of rules in an appropriate that does not entail negative consequences for democracy. The advocacy work done by organisations and interest groups, PR firms and think-tanks mainly targets the media. In order to guarantee citizens’ access to information and their possibilities to hold elected representatives accountable, the presence of independent media actors, with the capacity to scrutinise the power of authority, produce high-class journalism and facilitate a public debate where different voices and perspectives can be expressed, is vital. In light of this, the Commission thinks that the Government should take measures to create conditions for a viable, independent and multifaceted media market and for a strong and independent public broadcasting service. The introduction of a citizens’ proposal in the Riksdag In order to vitalise democracy and strengthen citizens’ influence on the decision-making process, we propose the introduction of a citizens’ proposal to the Riksdag, known as a ‘people’s motion’ (Folkmotion). A people’s motion is the right of an individual, with voting rights, to propose an initiative to the Riksdag. If the proposal receives support from at least one per cent of the citizens with voting rights, it must be accepted as a motion in the Riksdag. It should be possible to submit and support a people’s motion online. If a motion receives sufficient support it will be handled in same way as motions by Members of the Riksdag are handled. If the motion is approved, depending on the demand of the people’s motion, it can result in a committee initiative or a statement to the The proposal of introducing a people’s motion was inspired by the citizen’s initiative in . With the possibility to submit a people’s motion in the Riksdag, all citizens are given access to a formal tool for making their voices heard. This could mean that the advantage of resourceful organisations is levied. It could also increase the transparency of advocacy work. The introduction of a people’s motion is also justified by the weakened position of the political parties and the changed forms of political engagement and participation. A reform of this kind would require amendments to the Riksdag Act. The Commission therefore proposes that the introduction of a people’s motion in the Riksdag be preceded by a . Transparency in the work of the Riksdag In light of the increase in informal contact between organisations, interest groups and Members of the Riksdag, there could be reason to consider taking measures to ensure transparency in the power of authority. In order to guarantee citizens’ possibilities to express their views and interests at national level, the conditions for communication between Members of the Riksdag and citizens must be favourable. The Commission therefore proposes a review of the support given to Members of the Riksdag, as part of the public funding of the parties. The review should include the question as to whether parts of the funding should be tied to the Members’ constituencies, enabling increased local support. Citizens’ dialogues and consultations in municipalities and county councils Citizens’ dialogues and consultations where individuals, organisations and interest groups or other actors are invited to take part in decision-making processes are common in municipalities and county councils. Citizens’ dialogues can help to make decisions more deeply rooted and increase their legitimacy. By using citizens’ dialogues, conflicts of interest or demonstrations of dissatisfaction can be avoided when implementing political decisions. However, citizens’ dialogues that instil hope for political influence which is then not realised can undermine confidence in democracy. If participation does not reflect the composition of the inhabitants of the municipality or county council, there is also a risk that citizens’ dialogues will result in political inequality. The elected assembly should promote the participation of the members the decision-making process In order for citizens’ dialogues to yield positive democracy effects, the use of dialogues and consultations must be formalised. Municipalities and county councils must inform citizens when the citizens’ dialogues and consultations will be held and what matters will be discussed. It is equally important to inform the citizens of their possibilities to influence policy through citizens’ dialogues and consultations. The Commission therefore proposes an amendment to the Local Government Act by introducing a provision stating that the elected assembly should promote the participation of the members of the municipality or county council in the decision-making process. It further states that the municipalities and county councils are to ensure that the members have adequate opportunities to take part in the decision-making process. The proposed provision motivates municipalities and county councils to consultate and gain support for political decisions, but also that elected assemblies are responsible for the decision-making process as a whole. It further stresses the importance of citizens’ engagement, which was one of the founding principles in the drafting process of the Local Government Act. The provision, which is to be considered a democratic principle, is expressed in the form of a general objective. This means that decisions made without prior consultation with the members of the municipality or county council cannot be appealed. The elected assembly has sole responsibility for determining when and how the members are to engage and express their views. The proposal entails all members of the municipality or the county council – including young people and foreign citizens without voting rights, and judicial entities, such as non-profit organisations and companies – having the right to express their views in matters of importance. In light of the introduction of a consultation provision in the Local Government Act, the Commission further proposes that the concept of consultation should be included as one of the methods the elected assembly can use in its contact with the general public. Guidelines and principles for citizens’ dialogues and consultations The Commission believes that there are advantages to having elected assemblies adopt guidelines and principles on when citizens’ dialogues and consultations will be held and on what matters. It is also important that the guidelines or principles indicate the form of the dialogues and consultations. In the Commission’s view, the guidelines or principles should contain information on the role of the dialogues or consultations in the decision-making process, the target group of a particular dialogue or consultation, how the invitation to the dialogues or consultations will be circulated and finally, information on how feedback to the citizens will be handled. We further provide recommendations regarding methods for strengthening political equality. Moreover, the Commission advocates the use of digital technology and the importance of using inclusive feedback mechanisms. In addition, the Commission suggests that the municipalities and county councils all relevant information for citizens’ democratic participation in one place on their website in order to ensure that citizens receive adequate and accessible information regarding their opportunities to engage politically. The reinforced citizens’ initiative The reinforcement of citizens’ possibilities to call for referendums in municipalities and county councils has led to an increase in the number of initiatives and referendums. This has created tensions at local level. Some of the conflicts that have occurred have been due to a lack of clarity regarding the rules and regulations of the citizens’ initiative. In order to simplify the process, the possibility of signing a supporting motion of an initiative online should be introduced. The Commission thus proposes that the requirement for personal signatures be removed from the Local Government Act. Allowing the gathering of signatures online, through electronic identification, can make the process speedier, more just and more resourceefficient. Moreover, the gathering of signatures online is compatible with the current trends of political engagement where the internet and social media play a key role for political participation. To make the gathering of signatures online possible, the Commission proposes the of a national website. In addition, a clarification of the regulations on the number of signatures needed to initiate a request for a referendum is needed. One problem with past referendums has been the low turnout. The Commission believes that conflicts could be avoided if the political parties, prior to the referendum, clearly indicate the threshold required for them to respect the outcome of the referendum. Despite the problems that have occurred in connection with initiatives and referendums, we believe that the principal value of the right of citizens to direct participation in the political decisionmaking process outweighs the negative experiences. The majority of the referendums have stimulated democratic participation locally and there are no indications of referendums having had negative effects on political equality or confidence in democracy. The problems that have occurred have mainly been due to an inability on the part of leading politicians to take into account or adequately respond to the strong public opinion expressed by different voting groups between elections. In order to prevent such demonstrations of discontent, it is vital that the municipalities and county councils, in line with the proposal mentioned above, promote citizens’ participation in matters of importance. Citizens’ proposals and people’s motions The Commission’s review of the citizens’ proposal indicates that its effects on democracy are rather limited. Instead, it has mainly been used as a tool for putting forth concrete ideas or suggestions on specific everyday issues. Moreover, the small share of citizens who have used the mechanism does not reflect the composition of the population. Our review also shows that the administrative process of the citizens’ proposal is time-consuming and not resourceefficient. importantly, however, it establishes a relationship between individual citizens and elected representatives and not a group of individuals and elected representatives. The citizens’ proposals therefore fail to stimulate a democratic dialogue and do not provide the elected representatives with adequate information about public opinion. In order to strengthen the dialogue between the elected representatives and citizens and facilitate the administrative process, the Commission proposes that the citizens’ proposal be replaced with a new tool, the people’s motion, which is mandatory for all municipalities and county councils. All registered inhabitants of a municipality or county council should have the right to submit a proposal on a matter within the jurisdiction of the municipality or county council. If the proposal receives support from at least one per cent of the registered inhabitants, it must be considered by the elected assembly, and a decision has to be made within a year of submission. The Commission proposes that the administrative process of the people’s motion be identical to the process of the citizens’ proposal, meaning that the elected assembly can delegate the proposal to the executive committee or another committee. The gathering of signatures can, in line with the agenda initiative, be digital. Individuals can submit and support people’s motions in their municipality or county council through the national website we propose should be established. people’s participation, influence and representation Most young people feel that they lack influence over the political decision-making process and many of them do not feel like they are part of society. In addition, young people are under-represented in the political parties, in the elected assemblies and in civil society organisations. Socio-economic background, sex, health and foreign background are factors that affect young people’s participation, in the same way they do for older individuals. Research shows that political interest among young people is high today. A large proportion of the young population are politically engaged and express a wish to influence politics. people demonstrate strong confidence in democracy and a majority express support for the fundamental democratic values. Overall, the Commission believes that there is a need for a shift of perspective: young people should not be considered a challenge for democracy. Instead their engagement and interest should be viewed as an asset. The focus should be on creating conditions for the broad participation of young people in local democracy. The Commission proposes the introduction of a pilot project to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 in local elections in 2018 and 2022. The voting age trial is to be carried out in municipalities that apply to be part of the project and is to be further accompanied by an evaluation project. Lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 means that the average age of first-time voters would be lowered to 18 years. It is currently 20 years. This could result in increased incentives for young people to engage in local politics and for their interest in holding elected office. Moreover, a lowered voting age increases the possibilities to influence the long-term voting behaviour of young people, as they are still in school. This gives schools a concrete opportunity to include democracy issues in the curriculum. A pilot project to lower the voting age is also in line with the objective of the national youth policy, which clarifies that young people are to have an influence on the development of society. The pilot project is restricted to elections in municipalities, in which many issues of direct relevance to young people are decided on. As for elections to the Riksdag, the Commission believes that it is important to keep the connection of voting rights to the age of authority. people’s participation in decision-making processes in municipalities and counties The Commission’s proposal that elected assemblies should promote the participation of the members of the municipality or county council in the decision-making process implies that municipalities and counties also have to ensure the inclusion of young people’s perspectives in decision-making. Youth forums, where young people are invited to take part in political decision-making processes, could be one method of achieving that. We believe that consultations with youth forums should be a formal part of the decisionmaking process. At the same time, it is vital that these forums reflect the composition of the youth population in the municipality or county. It is also important that consultation processes are adapted to the conditions of young people. The municipalities and county councils should adopt a framework for how young people’s perspectives will be considered in decision-making processes or in an action plan for local youth policy. The role of schools in fostering democratic values We believe that there is a need to increase pupils’ knowledge of the function of municipalities and county councils and also of the forms for participation in local decision-making processes. Schools should cooperate more with administrators in municipalities and county councils and meet the local representatives of the political parties. The Commission therefore proposes that increased knowledge of the function and role of local democracy should be included in the national school development programme. Moreover, the national school development programme should aim to increase knowledge of critical review and source criticism. The Commission further proposes that the for Youth and , together with the for Education, should be commissioned by the Government to develop tutorials for schools and municipalities, with examples of methods of cooperation in local democracy. The Commission further believes that civic engagement in compulsory school and upper secondary school must be promoted and safeguarded. Higher education institutions also play a key role in democracy. It is therefore important that the political student associations, political parties and other organisations gain access to higher education institutions. In order to highlight the importance of higher education institutions for democracy, the Commission proposes an amendment to the Swedish Higher Education Act to the effect that it is clear that higher education institutions are to democratic principles and respect for individuals’ human rights. The political influence of persons with disabilities Persons with disabilities participate less in democracy than others. This is reflected in lower rates of voter turnout and in their representation in elected assemblies. Access barriers of various kinds still constitute an obstacle to disabled persons fully participating in society. While physical access to the meeting rooms for elected assemblies has improved, the meeting rooms used for committee meetings and for internal party meetings still have significant access barriers. Therefore, it is crucial that the removal of access barriers is continued and that municipalities and counties provide accessible meeting rooms for committee meetings and internal party meetings and, to a larger extent than today, allow distance decision-making in elected assemblies and committees. One problem, in particular for elected representatives in need of assistance and services to fulfil their political assignment, is combining the assignment with work and family life as they have difficulties in obtaining additional hours of assistance or services to allow them to serve politically. Elected representatives in need of assistance and accompanying services are to receive the necessary assistance to fulfil their political assignments. The Commission’s proposal that the elected assembly should promote the participation of the members of the municipality or county council in the decision-making process also has implications for people with disabilities. We therefore suggest that municipalities and counties establish citizens’ councils with real possibilities for influence. The elected assembly should further adopt regulations for the function of the citizens’ councils in local democracy. In order to secure a more prominent role for democratic participation in national disability strategy, democratic participation should be introduced as a separate goal. By adopting a specific goal on democratic participation, the importance of removing barriers in democracy promotion is stressed. At the same time, the conditions for monitoring the development of democratic participation among people with disabilities are improved. Let the future be shaped by many! Profound changes in how democracy functions cannot be made by a governmental commission. Changes in democracy are shaped by changes in society. If the democratic framework is to be changed, it must be done with caution and on the basis of political consensus. The Commission’s remit was to update the institutions of democracy and make them more relevant to the current time, through renewal and gradual changes of democratic rules. The overarching aim of the Commission’s proposal is to achieve greater and broader participation, thus creating more equal influence. Moreover, we believe that it is important to have a debate on the state of democracy. The continued debate should address how to achieve greater diversity among those who shape the future. Given the profound societal changes of late, it is natural to propose the appointment of a new Commission on the functions of democracy, in around a decade from now. Regeringens proposition 1973:47, Kungl. Maj:ts proposition angående förbättrade familjeförmån inom den allmänna försäkringen, m.m. Regeringens proposition 1975/76:187, Om demokrati, ny kommunallag m.m. Regeringens proposition 1982/83:97, Om de förtroendevaldas arbetsförutsättningar i kommuner och landstingskommuner, m.m. Regeringens proposition 1990/91:117, Om en ny kommunallag. Regeringens proposition 1991/92:123, Om slopande av intresserepresentation i vissa statliga myndigheters styrelse. Regeringens proposition 1992/93:159, Om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade. Regeringens proposition 1993/94:135, Ungdomspolitik. Regeringens proposition 1993/94:188, Lokal demokrati. Regeringens proposition 1995/96:146, Vissa frågor om personlig assistans. Regeringens proposition 1996/97:150, ekonomiska vårproposition. Regeringens proposition 1998/1999:115, På ungdomars villkor – ungdomspolitik för demokrati, rättvisa och framtidstro. 1 Referenser till andra dokument, till exempel rättsfall, internationella konventioner och regeringsbeslut finns återgivna i fotnoter i respektive kapitel. Regeringens proposition 1999/2000:79, Från patient till medborgare – en nationell handlingsplan för handikappolitiken. Regeringens proposition 2001/02:80, Demokrati för det nya seklet. Regeringens proposition 2004/05:163, Ny vallag. Regeringens proposition 2004/05:2, Makt att bestämma – rätt till välfärd. Regeringens proposition 2005/06:1, Budgetpropositionen Utgiftsområde 13. Regeringens proposition 2006/07:24, Förenklad hantering av medborgarförslag. Regeringens proposition 2008/09:1, Budgetpropositionen . Regeringens proposition 2008/09:28, Mänskliga rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning. Regeringens proposition 2008/09:80, Äktenskapsfrågor. Regeringens proposition 2008/09:83, Taxering och beskattning av ägarlägenheter. Regeringens proposition 2008/2009:158, Från erkännande till egenmakt – regeringens strategi för de nationella minoriteterna.