1 option

Citizens' initiatives in Europe : procedures and consequences of agenda-setting by citizens / edited by Maija Setälä, Academy Research Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Turku, Finland and Theo Schiller, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.

JN40 .C55 2012

Loading location information...

Available This item is available for access.

Format:: Book
Contributor:: Setälä, Maija, editor.; Schiller, Theo, editor.
Series:: Challenges to democracy in the 21st century series
Language:: English
Subjects (All):: Direct democracy--European Union countries.; Direct democracy.; Political participation--European Union countries.; Political participation.; Public administration.; Decision making.; Political planning.; European Union countries.; Political planning--European Union countries--Citizen participation.; Public administration--European Union countries--Decision making--Citizen participation.; European Citizens' Initiative.
Physical Description:: xiv, 262 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
Place of Publication:: Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
Summary:: The contributors to this edited volume analyse and compare different kinds of citizens' initiatives, including both full-scale initiatives and agenda initiatives, in 11 European democracies and the EU. The book provides a comprehensive account of the practices of citizens' initiatives in each case, including a description of the historical background of the citizens' initiatives and the political system in which they operate. Particular attention is paid to the institutional design of citizens' initiatives, which largely explains how they function in different political contexts. Citizens Initiatives in Europe sheds light on issues relevant to democracy, for example, how citizens' initiatives influence patterns of political agenda-setting in representative democracies and how they contribute to the aspirations of participatory democracy. Book jacket.
Contents:: 1 Introduction / Theo Schiller Schiller, Theo, Maija Setälä Setälä, Maija 1; Citizens' initiatives as a subject of research 1; The design of initiative institutions 6; The role of initiatives in democratic systems 9; Part I Practices of Full-Scale Initiatives; 2 Switzerland: Citizens' Initiatives as a Measure to Control the Political Agenda / Georg Lutz Lutz, Georg 17; Introduction 17; The historical background of direct democracy in Switzerland 18; Procedures for citizens' initiatives 20; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives 25; The overall political impact of initiatives 29; Conclusion 32; 3 Initiatives in Liechtenstein: Safety Valve in a Complex System of Government / Wilfried Marxer Marxer, Wilfried 37; Historical and political background 37; Legal framework 38; Popular initiatives between 1921 and 2010 45; Concluding remarks: 'Safety valve' and 'emergency brake' 49; 4 An Electoral Tactic? Citizens' Initiatives in Post-Soviet Latvia / Daunis Auers Auers, Daunis 53; Introduction 53; Bringing the Alps to the Baltic: Citizens' initiatives in inter-war Latvia 53; Citizens' initiative procedures in contemporary Latvia 55; The experience of citizens' initiatives 58; Conclusions: The political impact of citizens' initiatives in Latvia 65; Part II Systems Mixing Different Types of Initiatives; 5 Institutions of Citizens' Political Participation in Italy: Crooked Forms, Hindered Institutionalization / Pier Vincenzo Uleri Uleri, Pier Vincenzo 71; Introduction: Representative democracy and institutions of citizens' political participation 71; The historical and political background of citizens' initiatives 73; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives 75; The experience: Topics, makers and consequences 77; The political impact of abrogative initiatives 83; Concluding remarks: Who controls whom and what? 85; 6 Initiative Instruments in Germany: Variations in Regional States / Theo Schiller Schiller, Theo 89; Historical background of direct democracy in Germany 89; Procedures for making citizens' initiatives 91; The experience of initiatives 100; Role and impact on the political system 107; 7 Citizens' Initiatives in Hungary: An Additional Opportunity for Power-Sharing in an Extremely Majoritarian System / Zoltán Tibor Pállinger Pállinger, Zoltán Tibor 113; The historical background of citizens' initiatives 113; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives 117; The experience of initiatives 121; The political impact of initiatives 130; 8 Citizens' Initiatives in Lithuania: Initiative Institutions and Their Political Impact in a New Democracy / Algis Krupavicius Krupavicius, Algis 134; Introduction 134; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives 135; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives 139; Direct democracy and citizens' initiatives: Opportunities and constraints 148; 9 If It Works, Fine, If Not, So What? Initiatives in Slovakia / Erik Láštic Láštic, Erik 152; Introduction 152; The historical and political background of citizens' initiative institutions 153; The procedures for making citizens 'initiatives 157; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives 159; Conclusion 169; Part III Practices of Agenda Initiatives; 10 The Austrian Agenda Initiative: An Instrument Dominated by Opposition Parties / Karim Giese Giese, Karim 175; Introduction 175; The historical and political background of the agenda initiative 176; The legal framework of the agenda initiative at the federal level 178; Legal framework of the agenda initiative at the state level 182; The experience of initiatives: Topics, initiators and consequences 184; The overall political impact of initiatives 189; 11 The Spanish Agenda Initiative and the Reform of Its Legal Regime: A New Chance for Participatory Democracy? / Victor Cuesta-López Cuesta-López, Victor 193; The historical and political background of the Spanish popular initiative 193; Procedures for making citizens' initiatives 195; The popular initiative in the law-making process 202; The popular initiative in practice 203; Conclusion: The overall impact of the initiatives and some ideas for reform 209; 12 Popular Initiatives in Poland: Citizens' Empowerment or Keeping Up Appearances? / Anna Rytel-Warzocha Rytel-Warzocha, Anna 212; The historical and political background of citizens' initiative institutions 212; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives 213; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and the consequences of initiatives 220; The overall political impact of initiatives 225; 13 Transnational 'Babystep': The European Citizens' Initiative / Bruno Kaufmann Kaufmann, Bruno 228; Introduction 228; The historical background 229; The regulatory framework of the European Citizens' Initiative 233; The European Citizens' Initiative procedures 237; Conclusions 239; 14 Comparative Findings / Theo Schiller Schiller, Theo, Maija Setälä Setälä, Maija 243; The historical and political background of citizens' initiative institutions 243; The procedures for making citizens' initiatives 245; The experience of initiatives: Topics, makers and consequences of initiatives 251; Impact of initiative instruments on the overall development of political systems 255.
Notes:: Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:: 9780230319691; 0230319696
OCLC:: 766301289
Online:: Cover image

The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.

1 option

Find

My Account

Guides