Work

Mapping the European Landscape of Citizens’ Initiatives

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Rising public dissatisfaction with representative democracy has sparked interest in bottom-up forms of direct democracy, such as citizens’ initiatives. Yet, systematic data on actual practice remain scarce. This article maps citizens’ initiatives across 46 Council of Europe states, covering both agenda initiatives and citizen-initiated referendums. Drawing on an original database of nearly 7’000 initiatives launched between 1990 and 2020, we reveal significantly higher levels of initiative activity than previously documented, primarily driven by agenda initiatives. However, we also identify high attrition rates: many proposals fail at admissibility or signature stages, with only a small fraction ultimately approved. These findings complicate prevailing assumptions about direct democracy’s accessibility and impact, highlighting obstacles that undermine the potential for democratic innovation. By identifying these challenges, this research contributes to deeper understanding of how institutional design impacts on democratic practice in contemporary Europe.

Source: Political Studies

DOI: 10.1177/00323217251334530

Authors: Daniel Moeckli, Fernando Mendez, Mara Labud, Nils Reimann

Institution: University of Zurich

Language: English

Topic: Political Theory and Democracy

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650