Stories

Vörå (Finland)
Letter From Vörå: The Song and Sauna of Local Democracy
A song from Finland's Swedish-speaking and oft-divided region goes to the Eurovision contest
The United Nations
A call to democratic imagination: why we need Global Citizens’ Assemblies
The world is at a turning point. As crises mount — from climate breakdown to technological disruption and growing authoritarianism — our systems of global governance are not stepping up to the task. We are trying to solve solving...
Logo of the Brussels Citizens Assembly
Belgium
How Belgium Leads the Way
Belgium is a democratic innovator. What can the world learn from its example?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_Sacramento_from_the_Waterfront_Wheel-2.jpg#/media/File:West_Sacramento_from_the_Waterfront_Wheel-2.jpg
USA
How a Small City Won Big
Why you should root for small and smart West Sacramento, not its new home team.
California Ballot Measures from 2010 via Flickr by Josh Heller
USA
This Poll Makes You Deliberate
A digital version of the Deliberative Poll encourages democracy, more cheaply.
Estonia
Digital is the word for participation: Country in Focus, Estonia
In Country in Focus, Democracy International takes a closer look at advances in modern direct democracy and...
Mexico
Mexico City Is My Real Capital
In California, we're closer to CDMX than DC. And not just geographically.
Ireland
Strong NO rumbling from the voting booths, Irish Referenda defeated
Two Referenda to remove sexist language in the Irish Constitution resulted in a low turnout and a very...
Seoul
How Culture Frustrates Democracy
Our patriarchy and economic obsessions have slowed democracy—and inspired backlash.
This file was produced by Ayuntamiento of Madrid, the City Council of Madrid, and provided through Diario de Madrid. Diario de Madrid website. Creative Commons CC BY 4.0.
Global
Make Your Council Bigger
Better cities have bigger city parliaments.
Photo courtesy of Democracy International team, ECI Day 2024
European Union
The European Citizens' Initiative has an Opportunity to Take a Step...
The cornerstone of a well-functioning democracy lies in the extensive and robust participation of its...
Photo courtesy of Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality Publishes Final Report press release, December 2022. Creative Commons License 2.0. Via Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/oireachtas/
Global
The Meaning of Irish Defeat
A Roundup from Barcelona to Nelson Mandela Bay