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,...
Poland
Direct Democracy Unable To Balance Polish Power Grab
Polish constitutional lawyer Anna Rytel-Warzocha on the recent political developments in her country, the...
Germany
Citizen power in Germany: ready for the next step
Germany´s More Democracy group is an example of worldwide attempts to boost citizens´ participation in...
Taiwan
The World of Modern Democracy in 2016
OUTLOOK: After a horrible 2015, the new year offers new and fascinating democratic opportunities - on all...
Switzerland
Switzerland: 2015 Initiative and Referendum Review
The long list of initiatives and referendums - a key instrument of Switzerland´s system of direct democracy...
Schools to promote good citizenship
An interview with the #ByThePeople-conference chair Daniel Schugurensky on what makes a participatory...
Netherlands
Netherlands first citizen-initiated popular vote
On April 6 next year the first citizen-initiated referendum vote in Dutch history will be held in the...
Switzerland
Switzerland is the gold standard for direct democracy
No country on earth is more democratic than Switzerland. So says the Uruguayan political scientist David...
European Union
Call For More Direct Democracy in Europe
The first tool of participatory democracy at the transnational level, the European Citizens’ Initiative, must...
How Museums Become Catalysts For Active Citizenship
The world is in the throes of a terrible refugee crisis, and we are in the middle of a national immigration...
Taiwan
Promising Taiwan – a direct democracy in the making?
THE TAIWANESE NEED TO DECIDE IF THEIR GOVERNMENT CAN FUNCTION AS BEAUTIFULLY AS THEIR CIVIL SOCIETY – AND IF...