Inishfree Island, Republic of Ireland, 2009
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Munich, 2009
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Tokyo, 2010
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Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2006
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Cairo, 2012
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Chisinau, Moldova, 2009
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Nairobi, 2007
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Eva Peron voting, Buenos Aires, 1951
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Seoul, 2004
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Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France, 2005
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Berlin, 2011
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Surabaya, Indonesia, 2009
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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?
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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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The run on direct democracy
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German-speaking neighbours have been to Switzerland twice this year. Back in March a delegation from the German state of Baden-Württemberg came to follow the federal elections first-hand. Then in May the Austrian vice chancellor, Michael Spindelegger, travelled with Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter to the Landsgemeinde, or citizens’ assembly, which meets once a year in…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.