DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF DEMOCRACY AND
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
DIRECTORATE OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
PROJECT “GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY”
CAHDE(2007) 19 E only
Strasbourg, 9 October 2007
Ad hoc Committee on e-democracy
(CAHDE)
Second meeting
Strasbourg, 8-9 October 2007
Palais de l'Europe, Room 6
Possible eSolutions to 'shortfalls in democratic practice'
by
Thomas Buchsbaum
Austrian Ministry for European and international affairs
Chairman of CAHDE
CAHDE (2007) 19 E only
CAHDE developed a list of shortfalls in democratic practice1 in view of their possible
(partial) redress by using means provided for by today's ICT.
By the following, possible eSolutions (redress) to some of the shortfalls are mentioned /
sketched:
1
little impact of the people's will on political
decisions, beyond elections
little / lacking citizens 'inclusion' and
'empowerment'
2
3
citizens' frustration over false promises of
democracy projects which do not include real
influence and co-decision by citizens
low and/or declining participation in elections
lacking transparency of voting systems
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
1
empowerment by e-measures
inflexible election systems, including e.g. little
adapted to modern democratic societies
negative public appreciation of democracy
imbalance / lacking implementation of, separation
of powers (legislative, executive, judiciary)
the dichotomy between formal equality and real
inequality of different players, in particular citizens
growing mistrust in politics
little appreciation of democratic institutions
corruption by state organs
non-transparent dependencies within democratic /
political institutions
lacking public contestation between political elites
decoupling of market actors and government in the
field of policy making
declining legitimacy of the parliamentary system
declining competence of national parliaments in
relevant issues of citizens
doubts on the legitimacy of parliamentary decisions
lacking effective control (of government) by
parliament and audit institutions
quickly changing legislation (little 'stability' of
legislation)
lacking / few possibilities of citizens being heard /
taken into account on legislative bills
declining / negative appreciation of political parties
and their representatives
agreed at the 3rd / Sofia IWG meeting of 2 and 3 July 2007
2
e-participation, e-(co-)decision,
e-voting, e-petitioning,
e-legislation, etc.
increased accountability through
e-measures (e-Parliament,
e-representative)
e-voting
transparency through various
possibilities offered by e-voting
e-voting
measures of e-participation
increased accountability through
e-measures
empowerment through measures
of e-democracy / e-participation
transparency and accountability
through various e-measures
("e-transparency")
e-transparency, e-participation
e-transparency including e-justice
e-transparency (e-Parliament,
e-representative, e-party)
e-transparency (accountability)
e-transparency (accountability)
e-Parliament (e-transparency,
e-legislation, e-petitioning) and
e-voting
e-transparency and accountability
of decision-making actors
e-Parliament
(e-transparency, e-petitioning)
e-transparency, e-Parliament
e-documentation of (e-)legislation
e-petitioning, inclusion in (e-)
legislation, e-(co-) decision,
e-transparency by e-party
(information and meetings)
CAHDE (2007) 19 E only
23
24
25
26
compliance deficits in respect to political promises
and decisions
lacking democratic processes within political parties
31
existence of and support to, non-democratic parties
declining participation in traditional democratic
associations (political parties, trade unions,
corporations, etc.) or activities
rise and attraction of populist political groups and
growing support for such groups including at
elections
rise of demagogic practices by various quarters of
public life
rise of violent extremism of various kinds
lacking integration and representation of minorities
of all kinds
little interest of young persons in public affairs
32
language and culture barriers of ethnic minorities
33
barriers to access and communication by persons
with special needs
little / lacking rights / involvement and
representation of long-term residents of foreign
nationality
restricted rights of assembly and petition of
residents of foreign nationality
lacking easily understandable and easily accessible
information on democratic processes (elections,
legislation, participation, etc.)
lacking information on democratic rights and
processes in native (minority) tongues
limited access to modern means of communication
and information by citizens
a dominating role by some media in the public
debate
a dominating role of parties and/or market actors on
some media
lacking transparency and accountability of the
corporate sector
little appreciation of major international institutions
(in particular: EU)
27
28
29
30
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
lacking democracy in today world's decisionmaking bodies (supranational/intergovernmental
organisations, international finance bodies, inter/multinational enterprises)
3
via e-transparency
e-party (information and
meetings)
various e-measures
empowerment through
e-measures
various e-solutions
various e-solutions, including
e-democracy games
(low-cost) possibilities offered by
e-democracy tools
various e-solutions available for
different special needs
(low-cost) possibilities offered by
e-democracy tools
empowerment by e-measures
e-information adapted to different
needs
(low-cost) multi-lingual
e-information / -tools
e-inclusion (access and
accessibility)
citizens (e-)media
citizens (e-)media
e-transparency
e-transparency and
empowerment:
e-legislation, e-petitioning
measures of e-transparency