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Democracy means everyday people governing themselves. We believe that every citizen has the right, the capacity and the responsibility to shape the society they live in. With this driving force, Democracy International works for a world in which people hold final political power. We aim to strengthen direct democracy and citizen participation at the local, national and transnational levels. We believe that democracy must grow from the bottom up and decisions should be made by the people affected on the level it affects them.

Our Ideas

We believe that strong and truly inclusive democracies not only develop our societies further, but also are an antidote to rising populism and mistrust.

At Democracy International, we believe that democracy should be in the hands of the people. In addition to representative processes such as elections, direct democracy and participatory processes are the tools that give citizens the power to shape their societies. By taking ownership of the democratic process, the citizens build trust in themselves and one another, creating a sense of responsibility and connection to democratic institutions. This leads to more thought-through, innovative, inclusive and accepted decisions, and ultimately also to a more accountable government.

To act towards this vision, we:

• Collect proof on what works now
• Connect those working on democracy to inspire collective action
• Strengthen capacity for change
• Build an inclusive democracy for tomorrow
• Improve democratic infrastructure beyond borders

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