Citizens’ Initiatives in Europe: Procedures and Consequences of Agenda-Setting by Citizens

Front Matter....Pages i-xiv
Introduction....Pages 1-14
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
Switzerland: Citizens’ Initiatives as a Measure to Control the Political Agenda....Pages 17-36
Initiatives in Liechtenstein: Safety Valve in a Complex System of Government....Pages 37-52
An Electoral Tactic? Citizens’ Initiatives in Post-Soviet Latvia....Pages 53-68
Front Matter....Pages 69-69
Institutions of Citizens’ Political Participation in Italy: Crooked Forms, Hindered Institutionalization....Pages 71-88
Initiative Instruments in Germany: Variations in Regional States....Pages 89-112
Citizens’ Initiatives in Hungary: An Additional Opportunity for Power-Sharing in an Extremely Majoritarian System....Pages 113-133
Citizens’ Initiatives in Lithuania: Initiative Institutions and Their Political Impact in a New Democracy....Pages 134-151
If It Works, Fine, If Not, So What? Initiatives in Slovakia....Pages 152-171
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
The Austrian Agenda Initiative: An Instrument Dominated by Opposition Parties....Pages 175-192
The Spanish Agenda Initiative and the Reform of Its Legal Regime: A New Chance for Participatory Democracy?....Pages 193-211
Popular Initiatives in Poland: Citizens’ Empowerment or Keeping Up Appearances?....Pages 212-227
Transnational ‘Babystep’: The European Citizens’ Initiative....Pages 228-242
Comparative Findings....Pages 243-259
Back Matter....Pages 260-262