Citizen Participation

Democracy is the strongest and most resilient when citizens are more than just voters once every election cycle. Genuine citizens’ participation means that people are actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives, whether through citizens’ initiatives, petitioning, public consultations, participatory budgeting, citizens’ assemblies, or other forms of bringing citizens into the political discussion. It means having both the right and the opportunity to take part in public life, not just every few years at the ballot box, but every day in between. 

Meaningful participation helps create a more informed and responsible society. When citizens take part in decision-making, they gain a deeper understanding of how policies are made and the trade-offs they involve. Participation builds trust in democratic institutions and gives citizens a sense of ownership over the political process. It ensures that policies are shaped by the lived experiences and diverse realities of those they affect. That’s what makes a democracy. 

But participation doesn’t happen automatically. It requires access, support, and true political will. Around the world, barriers to participation remain high, from complex procedures and lack of transparency to unequal access to information or technology. Many people still feel that their voices don’t count. If democracy remains resilient, especially in the face of those who wish to erode it, we must lower these barriers and create inclusive and accessible opportunities for participation. This means in particular for young people, residents without voting rights, marginalised groups, and those who are often left out of the traditional political processes. 

In Democracy International’s work, participation means sharing power. It means making sure citizens have the tools and structures to co-create policies, monitor decisions, and hold governments accountable. 

Democracy International’s Role

Democracy International works to expand and strengthen citizens’ participation at all levels, from local, national, European, and global. Our goal is to empower citizens to shape political decisions and ensure that participation is meaningful.

At the European level, we pride ourselves on our work behind the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), the world’s first transnational participatory democracy instrument. The ECI allows EU citizens to propose legislation directly to the European Commission by collecting one million signatures across seven Member States. Through our advocacy, partnerships, and support for the European Citizens’ Initiative Forum, the official support centre, we help citizens transform their ideas into campaigns. 

We also invest in the next generation of democracy advocates through our annual Democracy Camp, a youth programme that brings together young people from around the world to explore democratic participation, develop critical skills, and create their own participation projects. The Camp provides a space where young people learn how democracy works in practice and how to make their voices heard in the political arena. 

At global level, Democracy International works through the International Democracy Community and the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, the world’s largest gathering of practitioners, researchers, and activists in direct and participatory democracy. These platforms foster global exchange and allow participants to showcase best practices and build partnerships across continents. Our goal is to create spaces where those working to advance citizen participation can learn from one another and scale successful models worldwide.

For us, citizens’ participation is what connects institutions to the people they serve. It’s the very foundation of a healthy democracy.