Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook

At a time when citizens around the world are showing a growing disenchantment with politicians, Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook explains how people are increasingly turning to other ways of influencing their governments.

Examples of direct democracy can be found all over the world, although the way it is applied and the name given to it may vary from country to country. As used in the Handbook, direct democracy can be identified in four different forms:

• Referendums, giving people a direct vote on a specific political, constitutional or legislative issue;
• Citizens’ initiatives which allow people to force a vote on an issue;
• Agenda initiatives that enable people to place an issue on the government's agenda; and
• Recall procedures which set a framework for citizens to vote to remove an elected official from office.

International IDEA’s Direct Democracy Handbook is the first of its kind to detail the definitions, usage, best practices and challenges of these four democratic measures. The Handbook includes a comprehensive world survey of the direct democracy provisions in 214 countries and territories and highlights case studies from Africa, Latin America and Europe.

- Contacto para solicitar la obra:

http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm

publications@idea.int