the global coalition for democracy

Fighting corruption with Direct Democracy

Fighting corruption with Direct Democracy

28-03-2012

In January 2012 the committee Più Democrazia in Trentino was founded in the Autonomous Province of Trento in northern Italy to promote more Direct Democracy as way to empower the people and fight disaffection.

Through a legislative proposal supported by a citizens’ initiative they want to remove the quorum at provincial level and to introduce the confirmative referendum for the legislative and administrative acts issued by the local government. Although it´s one of the richest regions in Italy the activists criticize the social injustice and lack of democracy. As they see it the public authorities intervene too much in the economic sphere and civil society weakening the social cohesion and promoting clientilism. The political class is blamed to strive for personal power and to satisfy a limited sum of private interests instead of promoting an accountable government: “the contracts for the construction of public infrastructure or for public supplies are subscribed within the “magnadora”, the local corruption system.” Also a constraint of self-determination of the local municipalities is being observed.

In their struggle of “giving voice to common people for a better future” Direct Democracy is seen as only one step as they promote other tools like public debates, citizens’ juries and programs for democratic civic education.

Text by Sebastian Molls

More information

Website Info

Democracy International is a registered association in Germany
(eingetragener Verein e.V.).

Gürzenichstraße 21 a-c
50667 Cologne
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 221 669 66 50
Fax: +49 (0) 221 669 665 99
Email: contact@democracy-international.org

Amtsgericht Köln
VR-Nr. 17139

Full website information here

Data protection - Datenschutz
 

Bank

Democracy International e.V.
IBAN: DE 58370205000001515101
BIC: BFSWDE33XXX

Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
Konto: 1515101
BLZ: 37020500

 

Sign up

to our news, analyses and features on direct democracy worldwide!

Subscribe

Follow us