Voluntary public participation procedures in the City of Zurich: A step beyond direct democracy?

Abstract

Participation is vital for democracy, not only in the form of casting a vote but also beyond that. Citizens active contribution in the decision–making process is what “rule by the people” entails, an indispensible asset that ensures the democratic nature of a system (Lijphart 1999: 2). The way participation is realized, however, can take on many different forms. The Swiss political system offers citizens far–reaching options and instruments to participate in the political decision–making process. They cannot only cast votes in national, cantonal, and local elections, but they can also make use of referendums and initiatives on all three political levels.