Stories

Member Story
Shadows of the Past: How Soviet Inferiority Narratives Hinder Democracy in Moldova and Ukraine
Post-Soviet countries like Ukraine and Moldova are deeply influenced by inferiority narratives — pervasive beliefs of national inadequacy rooted in Soviet-era legacies. This article examines how these narratives shape...
IDC Theme of the Month
From Backsliding to Breakthrough: Civil Society as Democracy's Last Line of Defence
Democracy does not vanish overnight; instead, it erodes step by step. Authoritarianism grows in the cracks, but so does civic resistance. Around the world, civil society is proving that when democratic institutions weaken,...
Australia
Conning Democracy
Why the Australian Postal Vote on Gay Marriage is an abuse of direct democracy.    
“Direct democracy is a safety valve”
In Country in focus, Democracy International takes a closer look at advances in modern direct democracy and...
Netherlands
Save the Dutch referendum
The brand-new Dutch government yesterday released their coalition agreement, which includes the abolition of...
Global
Launch of the global passport to modern direct democracy
In a democracy, formal popular votes are important to the exercise of people power.
Germany
"Dissatisfied with democracy"
The rightwing AfD party has made it into the German Bundestag. What's up with democracy in Germany? Are the...
European Union
Building a European Public Sphere
60 years ago, European countries pledged to work together more closely to prevent more of the disastrous wars...
Global
Popular Votes On Strengthening Modern Direct Democracy In Ticino And Geneva
More than 100 million people across the world were called to the ballot stations on the last weekend of...
Sweden
Swedish model direct democracy
In Country in focus, Democracy International takes a closer look at advances in modern direct democracy and...
European Union
Democracy Day: Scared Of Simple Answers
A few months ago populism was surging in an unstoppable increase. This week it is collapsing in terminal...
Sweden
What The World Can Learn From Sweden´s Lane Change
What happens when the people want to go in one direction, and the government wants to go in another. A new...