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Hard-urned voting rights

Switzerland is considered a model of direct democracy. Collecting signatures for referenda and initiatives is a regular occurrence, with up to four nationwide votes a year. Does direct democracy exist in other countries, and to what extent?

According to research from the Centre for Democracy Studies in central Switzerland, it is possible in 38 countries around the world to collect the signatures needed to force a vote. And it’s not opposition parties using this instrument, but civil society in most cases.

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