Colleagues, friends.
"Last year several German Lands reformed their practice of direct
democracy... (e.g.) The Rheinland Palatinates halved the "hurdle" for a
"people's proposal" (Volksbegehren) from twenty down to ten percent and
introduced the citizens' initiative. Simultaneously they made the
referendum rules more rigorous. A quorum was introduced, where there had
been none, so that validity can be achieved only if a quarter or more of
citizens vote." (Basis-info 12-2001/Recht)
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It's generally unknown outside of the Federal Republic that, during the
last 20 years, elements of direct democracy have come to play a much
greater role in public life. This wave of citizens' participation in
running some of their own affairs is still moving and swelling, in the
Laender, cities, towns and districts.
A good account, in german and english, can be found at the Goethe
Institute's inter nationes website, and in print.
Direct democracy in Germany: Trends since 1989 by Otmar Jung
http://www.inter-nationes.de/d/presse/basis/e/bi12-2001-e-f.html
IN-Press Basis-Info 12-2001
Direkte Demokratie in Deutschland: Tendenzen seit 1989
von Otmar Jung
http://www.inter-nationes.de/d/presse/basis/d/bi02-98d-f.html
Sincerely,
Michael Macpherson
Citizens' Initiative I&R
http://iniref.tripod.com
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