Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the annual networking event has moved online: what was once a face-to-face meeting has become a digital one, attracting more participants than previous in-person events. This demonstrates the enormous interest in the topics of citizen participation and direct democracy, which has not diminished under the COVID-19 restrictions. Quite the contrary: new opportunities for participation – namely digital ones – are being utilised more widely and can already be seen as a ‘model’ for digital citizen participation. Insightful perspectives from experts highlight which aspects of citizen participation remain relevant, as well as the direction in which developments are heading.
Read here about the “Local authority as a place where democracy thrives”.