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,...
The Happier The Citizens, The Lower The Turnout
Switzerland and Oregon, though culturally and geographically distinct, practice democracy in surprising...
Taiwan
Taiwan: No To Casinos, Yes To Direct Democracy
Seven years after a first popular vote, the citizens in Taiwan`s offshore Penghu archipelago confirmed their...
Switzerland
Welcome To A Direct Democratic Hybrid
Welcome to the Swiss municipality with a democratic secret: in Arth-Goldau in central Switzerland citizens...
Korea South
How The Ballot Selfie Movement Changed Korean Democracy
For decades older voters in Korea gave the conservative majority a big advantage - and a majority in the...
Colombia
The Reasons Behind the Failure of the Colombian Peace Plebiscite
Everything about Colombia´s plebiscite for peace was unexpected. Not just the dramatic result - a rejection...
Switzerland
Townhall Meetings: Pre-modern Direct Democracy Updated
Town hall meetings in Switzerland are generally poorly attended, undermining their political legitimacy....
Switzerland
Direct Democracy and Human Rights as Partners
Parliaments and governments must listen closer to citizens and less to lobbyists of the military-industrial...
Global
Voting Until You Get The Result You Want
The excessive use of top-down popular votes across Latin America has become a sign of democratic weakness. ...
Switzerland
Towards a National Youth Parliament
In Switzerland there are 66 youth parliaments at the local and cantonal level. Although in many cases they...
USA
Global Outlook: Challenging Autumn Of Citizens Decisions
Four more months to go in 2016 and one billion citizens around the globe are about to make their voices heard...