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wt., 2011-07-12 15:41

jordan

News from Democracy Internationonal

Pierwszy newsletter od Democracy International:

NEWSLETTER
12 July 2011
www.democracy-international.org
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Report und Interviews

In several countries people are on the streets. They want to have a say on important
decisions. With joined forces we can all achieve more. For that reason we have founded
Democracy International.
In this issue of our newsletter you find a report from our meeting in Brussels, the
speeches as online-videos and several interviews with activists from all over the world.

Regards
Daniel Schily/Ronald Pabst/Vanessa Eggert

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Contents
1. Report
2. Speeches
3. Interviews

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1. Meeting in Brussels

Please find the report and photos here:
http://democracy-international.org/events.html

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2. Videos

You find the following videos online:
Speech Terry Reintke
http://www.democracy-international.org/speech-terry-reintke.html
Speech Bruno Kaufmann
http://www.democracy-international.org/big-world-direct-democracy.html
Speech Joe Mathews
http://www.democracy-international.org/direct-democracy-california.html

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3. Interviews

Spain: Take the Square!
In Brussels, we met Spanish protesters, sharing their journey with us. We have talked
to Tatiana de la O and Daniel Edom about their experience.
http://www.democracy-international.org/spain-take-the-square.html

From the Arab Spring to an European Summer
Political protests and riots are extensively shaping the current political landscape. In
the beginning the focus rested on the Arab world; now demonstrations are taking place within
Europe. Mehr Demokratie observes the incidents with great interest. Armin Steuernagel,
member of Democracy International’s board, visited a Spanish protest-camp and
shared his impressions with us.

http://www.democracy-international.org/arab-spring-european-summer.html

Politics originate from the people
Since the 15th of May, demonstrations are a familiar picture in the Spanish everyday life.
Mehr Demokratie talked about the Spanish protests to Manuel Marín-Ramos, a
participant of the group ‘Democracia Real YA! Berlin’.

http://www.democracy-international.org/protest-spain-berlin.html

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This Newsletter was send to:

To unsubscribe from this newsletter click
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Democracy International
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
51143 Köln
Germany
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 59
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
http://www.democracy-international.org
pabst@democracy-international.org

śr., 2011-07-27 16:55

jordan

NEWSLETTER
27 July 2011
www.democracy-international.org

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Meet us in Freiburg
All over Europe people are calling for more participation. In this newsletter we present
Micaela Bracciaferri – she was involved in the Italian referendum campaign and talks
about the movement, which was supported by millions and used direct democracy to
achieve a major success.
We will use the summer to network with other organizations. A good opportunity is the
Attac Academy of Social Movements in Freiburg (Germany) – Erwin Leitner from Austria
initiated our appearance here.
Regards
Ronald Pabst/Vanessa Eggert

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Contents
1. Meet us in Freiburg
2. Interview: Italian Protest and Beppe Grillo
3. Direct Democracy in Greece

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1. Meet us in Freiburg
We will talk about direct democracy with people from all over Europe at an event organized
by Attac. It will take place from 9. to 14. August in Freiburg (South Germany).

http://democracy-international.org/freiburg-summer-academy.html

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2. Interview: Italian Protest and Beppe Grillo

In recent months, people are more and more going to the streets to voice their discontent
and anger. Greece and Spain set good examples as several hundred thousand citizens are
demonstrating. Yet, this is not an absolute new phenomenon. Many countries have a history
of citizen's engagement: the Beppe Grillo movement has been active in Italy since 2007,
engaging masses to voice their demands. Many Internet scholars believe it to be among
the first campaigns mobilized by social media and the use of blogs. We have talked to
Micaela Bracciaferri, a participant of this movement

http://www.democracy-international.org/italian-protest-beppe-grillo.html

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3. Direct Democracy in Greece

Antonios Bouchagiar and Mihalis Gousgounis have published an report on the situation
in Greece. They explain the history of referendums in Greece since 1945, the situation
on local direct democracy and comment the announcement of the government: it declared
its will to hold a referendum soon.

http://www.democracy-international.org/direct-democracy-greece.html

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This newsletter was send to
To unsubscribe from this newsletter click
here and follow the instructions:
www.democracy-international.org/newsletter.html
Your address will be withdrawn from our files immediately.
We regret seeing you go.
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Democracy International
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
51143 Köln
Germany
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 59
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
http://www.democracy-international.org
pabst@democracy-international.org

śr., 2013-03-06 21:31

jordan

Newsletter

05 March 2013

www.democracy-international.org

Content:

1.    Dutch doors open to direct democracy
2.    Switzerland curbs excessive salaries and boni through direct democracy
3.    Slovakia: Gorilla causes fight for direct democracy
4.    Iceland: Special parliamentary session discusses draft of new Constitution
5.    Interview with Christian Felber: “People will voice peace in a new EU Treaty”

Dear Jordan,

There is still a bit of time to pass until we will meet for our next big conference, but I would like you to save the date already: From 4 to 6 April 2014 we will come together in Vienna and/ or Bratislava to learn more about direct democracy in the region and to plan our political course and actions. We will hold our general assembly on this occasion.

Also, there will be a pre-tour from 1 to 3 April. The theme of our journey will be “Direct democracy along the Danube”: We will meet with activists of the groups Direct Democracy Association Slovakia (OZ PD) and mehr demokratie! österreich.

Both groups are currently campaigning hard for more direct democracy in their countries. Only last week mehr demokratie! österreich had a political action in front of the Parliament in Vienna to raise awareness of the deficits of the “democracy package” that is currently planned by the Austrian government. Activists demonstrated illustratively that they want a package XXL, including binding referenda on obligatory issues, in comparison to the weak and unbinding reforms intended by the government. (See some photos on our Facebook page and on the website of mehr demokratie! österreich).

In Slovakia, the Direct Democracy Association (OZ PD) is fighting for more direct democracy as a reaction to Gorilla. That is not only the name of a great ape, but also the scandal of December 2011 that revealed corruption amongst Slovakia’s political elite. The Slovak activists campaign for more direct democracy as a remedy for corruption and intransparency.

So there are many interesting political actions ongoing along the Danube. Vienna and Bratislava are about 80 kilometers away from each other. I heard there are high-speed boats connecting both cities in about one hour. A nice boat trip on the Danube could lie ahead of us. Save the date and join us in Bratislava and Vienna!

All the best,
Cora Pfafferott

1. Dutch doors open to direct democracy

On Thursday, 14 February 2013, the lower house of the Dutch parliament adopted legislation to introduce a non-binding facultative referendum. With this instrument of direct democracy, 300,000 citizens can trigger a national referendum on a law or treaty passed by the national parliament. The referendum platform in the Netherlands, a partner of Democracy International, campaigned for the new referendum law adopted in the Dutch parliament.

http://www.democracy-international.org/referendum-netherlands.html

2. Switzerland curbs excessive salaries and boni through direct democracy

On 3 March 2013, 67, 9 per cent of Swiss eligible citizens voted in favor of a citizen initiative to limit the salaries of top executives and to allow shareholders of publicly traded companies to decide on what bonuses should be paid.

http://www.democracy-international.org/referendum-switzerland-salaries.html

3. Slovakia: Gorilla causes fight for direct democracy

In March 2012 political activists launched the Petition for a better Slovakia with the goal of improving Slovakia’s legislation for referenda. The activists also founded the Direct Democracy Association (OZ PD) in Bratislava to realise citizen-friendly referenda. The campaign is gathering momentum in Slovakia these days.

http://www.democracy-international.org/ozpd-slovakia.html

4. Iceland: Special Parliamentary Session Discusses Draft of new Constitution

As Iceland Review Online reports on 19 February 2013, the Icelandic parliament Alþingi’s Constitutional and Supervisory Committee decided to make some of the amendments proposed to the draft of the constitutional bill by the Venice Commission, an advisory body created by the Council of Europe in 1990 and composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law.

http://www.democracy-international.org/icelandic-constitution.html

5. “People will voice peace in a new EU Treaty”

Interview with Christian Felber on the EU as a peace project and an EU convention. Christian Felber is an Austrian freelance journalist, book author and international lecturer. Co-founder of Attac Austria, he initiated the projects “Democratic Bank” and “Economy for the Common Good”.

http://www.democracy-international.org/interview-christian-felber-eu.html

Imprint:
Cora Pfafferott
Democracy International

+49 (0) 2203 102 14 75
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
pfafferott@democracy-international.org
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
51143 Cologne
Germany

Democracy International ist ein eingetragener Verein.
Amtsgericht Köln: VR-Nr. 17139

wt., 2013-05-07 13:23

jordan

Newsletter

7 May 2013
www.democracy-international.org

Content:

1. Democracy International: New Council for countries
2. ECI „Water is a Human Right“ ready for submission to Commission
3. Direct democracy in Hungary - still a powerful instrument?
4. European Parliament: European Citizens' Initiative must improve
5. Ireland: Convention paves way for referendum on same-sex-marriage
6. ECI Day in Brussels: Civil Society, make it work!
7. Not a fairy tale - The Icelandic direct democracy Saga

Dear Jordan,

Are you active in a democracy group that has more than seven members? Do you want to work together with activists from other countries to strengthen (direct) democracy in the nation state, in Europe and in the world through exchanging information, advice and best practice?

You answer “Yes” to these questions? Then your group could join Democracy International’s Council, a new body we established this weekend with organizations from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Our goal is that more and more organisations will follow. People (individual members) and organisations (represented in the Council) make up the backbone of Democracy International!

We invite you to a big democracy conference to take place in Bratislava, Slovakia from 4 to 6 April next year. On this occasion we want to get to know you and we want to admit more groups to the Council. You are all very welcome, please save the date. Our preparatory work has just started. We will keep you up to date about the future developments.

Best wishes,
Cora Pfafferott

1. Democracy International: New Council for countries

On Saturday, 4th May 2013, Democracy International formally established the Council in its headquarters in Cologne, Germany. Democracy initiatives from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are the first members of the new body, whose main goal is to strengthen Democracy International’s work through bringing in experience, advice about best practice and engaging in campaigns.

http://www.democracy-international.org/di-new-council.html

2. ECI „Water is a Human Right“ ready for submission to Commission

On 3rd May 2013, the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) "Water is a human right" jumped over the last hurdle to qualify for the European Commission as a law proposal. With Luxembourg, Finland and Lithuania providing the necessary amount of signatures also, there are now one million signatures from at least seven EU countries that fulfil the required minimum threshold.

http://www.democracy-international.org/water-is-human-right.html

3. Direct democracy in Hungary - still a powerful instrument?

Hungary was and still is among the few countries in which people can initiate a referendum from below. The government has changed the constitution of 1990 in 2011 and with this also the rules of initiatives. What has changed and what are the consequences?

http://www.democracy-international.org/directdemocracy-hungary-2013.html

4. European Parliament: European Citizens' Initiative must improve

Members of all political groups of the European Parliament share the view that more people must know about the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) and that the technical problems of the new instrument of transnational direct democracy must be solved. This is the tenor of a plenary session held in Strasbourg on 18 April 2013 to mark the first anniversary of the European Citizens’ Initiative.

http://www.democracy-international.org/eci-in-ep.html

5. Ireland: Convention paves way for referendum on same-sex-marriage

As an exercise to modernise Ireland’s constitution, the constitutional convention met in Dublin on 13 and 14 April 2013 to discuss the introduction of same-sex-marriage in the Republic of Ireland. At the end of the weekend meeting the members, 100 Irish citizens and parliamentarians altogether, recommended to change the Irish constitution with a majority of 79 per cent to allow for civil marriage of same-sex couples.

http://www.democracy-international.org/irish-constitutionalconvention.html

6. ECI Day in Brussels: Civil Society, make it work!

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has been one year in practice, but neither EU politicians nor civil society organisations are happy with the instrument. Originally praised as the first tool of transnational direct democracy, “ECI Day” in Brussels on 9 April 2013 showed that the requirements of the ECI must change to be an influential and effective law-making instrument.

http://www.democracy-international.org/eci-day-brussels.html

7. Not a fairy tale - The Icelandic direct democracy Saga

The small Mediterrean island of Cyprus has made the headlines this spring. The crash of its banking sector, sending shockwaves across the Eurozone and beyond, was strongly reminiscent of another small island also on the periphery of Europe, but in quite a different climatic zone - Iceland. Five years of crisis management offer Cyprus - and other states - a series of tough lessons. And not just about the economy – but about people power.

http://www.democracy-international.org/iceland-not-fairy-tale.html

Imprint:
Cora Pfafferott
Democracy International

+49 (0) 2203 102 14 75
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
pfafferott@democracy-international.org
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
51143 Cologne
Germany

Democracy International ist ein eingetragener Verein.
Amtsgericht Köln: VR-Nr. 17139

wt., 2013-06-04 18:34

jordan

Newsletter

3 June 2013
www.democracy-international.org

Content:

1. Support “Let Me Vote”, the ECI to give EU citizens full voting rights!
2. Lithuanian government should follow result of referendum against nuclear power plant
3. Dutch activist on direct democracy in Athens
4. Hype in the Hauptstadt: Collecting signatures at midnight in Berlin
5. European Commission, take seriously the ECI!

Dear Jordan,

Direct Democracy makes fun. This is what I experienced this month in Berlin while collecting signatures for the “Energietisch”, Berlin’s current citizens’ initiative, which aims at giving back the power grid to Berlin’s citizens. Touring Berlin’s bars at midnight to ask guests for their autographs was one of the best pub crawls ever in my life: I had the chance to speak to many people and to find out what they think about the idea of the initiative.

More seriously, collecting signatures in Berlin also showed me the actual burdens exclusive rules of political participation put on people. I will not forget the French woman, a Berlin resident for more than ten years, eager to sign the initiative. However, she was not allowed to do so as the city of Berlin stipulates German citizenship. Feeling sorry for the woman who was clearly very disappointed, I realized the need to make voting rights much more international.

In that regard I am glad that Democracy International has decided to officially support the European Citizens’ Initiative “Let me vote!”. Launched by the people behind “Européens sans frontiers”, the initiative aims at allowing EU citizens living in another EU country to take part in local, regional, national and European elections. You support this goal? Then sign at www.letmevote.eu. I strongly hope that this ECI will generate the political impact so that in the near future any resident of Berlin can also take part in direct democracy.

Best wishes,
Cora Pfafferott

1. Support “Let Me Vote”, the ECI to give EU citizens full voting rights!

Democracy International supports the European Citizens’ Initiative “Let me vote!” and therefore calls upon every EU citizen to sign the initiative. Like Democracy International, Let me vote! pursues the goal of accomplishing democracy in the EU by removing the democratic deficit. For this to happen, equal, fair and inclusive electoral rights are a central tool.

http://www.democracy-international.org/support-let-me-vote.html

2. Lithuanian government should follow result of referendum against nuclear power plant

Democracy International calls upon the Lithuanian government to accept the result of the referendum of 14 October 2012, in which almost 65 per cent of voters had decided not to build a new nuclear power plant in Lithuania, the ‘Visaginas’ plant. Although announced for Mid May, Lithuania’s government – which was newly elected on the same day the referendum was held - yet has not declared whether it will follow the result of the referendum or not.

http://www.democracy-international.org/referendum-lithuania.html

3. Dutch activist on direct democracy in Athens

On Friday, 10 May, Arjen Nijeboer, spokesperson of the Dutch Referendum Platform, gave a lecture on direct democracy in the Floral Café, an alternative café and bookshop in the heart of Athens. The lecture was organized by the emerging direct democracy group around Petros Vourlis, who runs the blog http://referendumsforgreece.wordpress.com .

http://www.democracy-international.org/democracy-lecture-athens.html

4. Hype in the Hauptstadt: Collecting signatures at midnight in Berlin

Crawling pubs on a Friday night in Prenzlauer Berg, one of Berlin’s hip districts, chatting up guys in bars that have as special names as “Zu mir oder zu Dir” (“to me or to you”) and getting their autographs. This is not the latest marketing idea to line up men and women in Germany’s capital renown for having too many singles. This is what you do when gathering signatures for the “Energietisch” (“energy table”), Berlin’s current citizens’ initiative.

http://www.democracy-international.org/initiative-energietisch.html

5. European Commission, take seriously the ECI!

The European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Water is a human right’ succeeded in gathering one million signatures from at least seven EU Member States in proportion to their size of population. This qualifies ‘Water is a human right’ as the first European Citizens’ Initiative ever to be submitted to the European Commission.

http://www.democracy-international.org/europe-day-2013.html

Imprint:
Cora Pfafferott
Democracy International

+49 (0) 2203 102 14 75
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
pfafferott@democracy-international.org
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
51143 Cologne
Germany

Democracy International ist ein eingetragener Verein.
Amtsgericht Köln: VR-Nr. 17139

ndz., 2013-09-15 01:47

jordan

Newsletter

29 August 2013
www.democracy-international.org

Content:

1. Democracy International presents campaign to save the EU
2. New democracy group in Romania
3. Walking 675 kilometres for the referendum in Germany
4. Democracy International has a new website

Dear Jordan,

I hope you had a good, sunny summer and the chance to go on a nice holiday. It is always the last few days of August during which you can feel that the summer is almost over. The nights are getting longer and the days are cooler again. Birds start flying south. And we people go back to school, work or university.

For Democracy International being back to work means starting our campaign for a more democratic EU. In that regard our chairperson Gerald Häfner spoke to an audience of 200 people on behalf of the campaign alliance "For more democracy in the EU" at the European Forum Alpbach in Austria last week. Our key demand is a new EU convention that has sufficient time for its deliberations, whose members are elected democratically and that has adequate time for serious and thorough deliberation including proposals from civil society.

Being back to work also means continuing our preparations for the Danube Democracy Rally to take place from 1 to 9 April next year. The rally is a unique opportunity to travel through Austria, Slovakia and Hungary and to engage in an exciting combination of learning more about direct democracy, discussing viewpoints and sightseeing. Registration is now possible on a first-come first-serve basis. To register and for more information please see here.

Best wishes,
Cora Pfafferott

1. Democracy International presents campaign to save the EU

On 21 August 2013 Democracy International presented the campaign for a more democratic EU at the European Forum Alpbach in Austria, an interdisciplinary conference for science, politics, business and culture held annually in the small town in Tyrol. Gerald Häfner, chairperson of Democracy International and Member of European Parliament, spoke to an audience of 200 people on behalf of the campaign alliance "For more democracy in the EU". Key demand of the campaign is a new EU convention.

Read more here

2. New democracy group in Romania

Building democratic societies and introducing effective citizens’ participation means a mammoth task to many countries of Eastern Europe. However, there are democratic approaches worthwhile pursuing, such as the work of the Slovakian democracy group OZ PD that is campaigning for citizen-friendly referenda this year.

Read more here

3. Walking 675 kilometres for the referendum in Germany

On 18 August 2013 Michael von der Lohe, Director of the organisation Omnibus and activists from all over Germany started a walk of 675 kilometres to cross Germany from East to West. The aim is to reach the capital of Berlin on 22 September 2013, the day the federal elections will be held in Germany and to demand the introduction of the referendum when coalition talks will start the following days.

Read more here

4. Democracy International has a new website

On 27 July 2013 Democracy International’s new website went online. The website follows a new concept. It primarily features democracy activists and their campaigns, and it tells about their fight for more direct democracy in their countries, at local level and in the world. The aim is to help people to connect and to network with each other, to exchange information about best practice and on how to build a democracy organisation.

Read more here

Imprint:
Cora Pfafferott
Democracy International

+49 (0) 2203 102 14 75
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
pfafferott@democracy-international.org
Friedrich-Ebert-Ufer 52
Cologne, 51143
Germany
Democracy International ist ein eingetragener Verein.
Amtsgericht Köln: VR-Nr. 17139

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