Democracy Explorers: Study Trip to Ljubljana

From 8 to 11 December 2026, Democracy International will travel to Ljubljana with a group of adult learners and professionals to explore direct democracy and citizen participation in Slovenia.

Slovenia offers a particularly timely case study. On 11 October 2026, Slovenian voters will decide in a binding referendum on controversial amendments to the Act on Parliamentary Inquiry. Critics argue that the amendments could weaken legal safeguards and pose risks to media freedom and civil society. The referendum was initiated by former members of Slovenia’s Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and supported by a broad range of civil society actors.

Our study trip will take place in the months following the referendum, giving us an opportunity to look beyond the vote itself and explore what happened around it: How did civil society mobilise? What role did direct democracy play in challenging the legislation? And what can we learn from the Slovenian experience about citizen participation and democratic safeguards?

During our stay, we will meet with Slovenian civil society organisations, researchers and other local actors working on direct democracy, participation and democratic rights. We will be hosted by the Peace Institute (Mirovni inštitut) and are planning exchanges with organisations involved in the referendum campaign as well as other local initiatives and experts.

The programme will combine discussions and learning exchanges with visits to local organisations and time to experience Ljubljana and its political and civic life.

Democracy Explorers 

The study trip is part of Democracy International’s Erasmus+ Democracy Explorers project, which creates opportunities for adult learners to explore democratic participation and learn from experiences in other European countries. By bringing participants into direct contact with civil society organisations, researchers and other local actors, the project connects practical experiences of democracy across Europe.