Citizens' Initiatives in Europe [electronic resource] : Procedures and Consequences of Agenda-Setting by Citizens /
Setälä, M.editor.
Schiller, T.editor.
An exploration and analysis of the regulation and practices of citizens' initiatives in eleven European democracies and the EU. The contributors to this volume shed light on how citizens' initiatives influence patterns of political agenda-setting in representative democracies and how they can contribute to participatory democracy.
Description based upon print version of record.
Cover; Contents; List of Figures and Tables; Acknowledgements; Notes on Contributors; 1 Introduction; Citizens' initiatives as a subject of research; The design of initiative institutions; The role of initiatives in democratic systems; Part I: Practices of Full-Scale Initiatives; 2 Switzerland: Citizens' Initiatives as a Measure to Control the Political Agenda; Introduction; The historical background of direct democracy in Switzerland; Procedures for citizens' initiatives; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives
The overall political impact of initiativesConclusion; 3 Initiatives in Liechtenstein: Safety Valve in a Complex System of Government; Historical and political background; Legal framework; Popular initiatives between 1921 and 2010; Concluding remarks: 'Safety valve' and 'emergency brake'; 4 An Electoral Tactic? Citizens' Initiatives in Post-Soviet Latvia; Introduction; Bringing the Alps to the Baltic: Citizens' initiatives in inter-war Latvia; Citizens' initiative procedures in contemporary Latvia; The experience of citizens' initiatives
Conclusions: The political impact of citizens' initiatives in LatviaPart II: Systems Mixing Different Types of Initiatives; 5 Institutions of Citizens' Political Participation in Italy: Crooked Forms, Hindered Institutionalization; Introduction: Representative democracy and institutions of citizens' political participation; The historical and political background of citizens' initiatives; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives; The experience: Topics, makers and consequences; The political impact of abrogative initiatives; Concluding remarks: Who controls whom and what?
6 Initiative Instruments in Germany: Variations in Regional StatesHistorical background of direct democracy in Germany; Procedures for making citizens' initiatives; The experience of initiatives; Role and impact on the political system; 7 Citizens' Initiatives in Hungary: An Additional Opportunity for Power-Sharing in an Extremely Majoritarian System; The historical background of citizens' initiatives; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives; The experience of initiatives; The political impact of initiatives
8 Citizens' Initiatives in Lithuania: Initiative Institutions and Their Political Impact in a New DemocracyIntroduction; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives; Direct democracy and citizens' initiatives: Opportunities and constraints; 9 If It Works, Fine, If Not, So What? Initiatives in Slovakia; Introduction; The historical and political background of citizens' initiative institutions; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives
The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives
Includes bibliographical references and index.
An exploration and analysis of the regulation and practices of citizens' initiatives in eleven European democracies and the EU. The contributors to this volume shed light on how citizens' initiatives influence patterns of political agenda-setting in representative democracies and how they can contribute to participatory democracy.
European Citizens' Initiative.
European Union.
Europe—Politics and government.
Public policy.
Political science.
Public administration.
Democracy.
European Union Politics.
European Politics.
Public Policy.
Political Science.
Public Administration.
Democracy.