A rollercoaster ride towards democracy
Michael Efler tells the story of how the European Citizens Initiative found its way into the EU Constitution.
The inclusion of the citizens' initiative in the draft constitution is a great success for all those who were involved in the European Referendum Campaign. It was the first time that people from different European countries lobbied for direct democracy during a reform of the European treaties and so it was somewhat surprising that this first effort was successful.
Six steps to more democracy
Step two: The breakthrough dinner
Step three: An "informal" working group surprises the Convention
Step four: What kind of "democratic life in the European Union"?
