Citizens discuss in the state parliament: invitation from walker and Seimer!

This initiative is part of an increasingly important dialogue culture in political space. A current study by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the University of Hohenheim emphasizes that the inclusion of citizens in legislative procedures not only improves the quality of the designs, but also strengthens representative democracy. This study lists various legislative procedures in which citizen participation has taken place, such as the National Park Act and the University Law Act. The results show that participatory elements complement the conventional legislative process.

The role of citizens in democracy

Baden-Württemberg is considered a pioneer in participatory legislation in Germany. The advanced approaches to citizen participation show how important it is to include the votes of the population in the process at an early stage. State Councilor Gisela Erler plans to largely take over the recommendations of the study in order to establish a binding and comprehensive participation strategy. This will help to strengthen the influence of citizens on political decisions, which is also evident in recent discussions about the relevance and necessity of citizen participation.

In a time when the young generation strives for more participation, especially in politics, the words of Willy Brandt, who called for participation in 1969, are still of great importance. The former Chancellor had emphasized that "more democracy" had to be dared to overcome the gap between the generations. Social scientists like Gert Pimmel emphasize the need to give young people's opinions more. Surveys show that many young people experience a gap between the generations and their communication, which leads to dissatisfaction.

This Conclusion Poses A Challenge to Decision-Makers, who often hesitantly react to the concerns of the youth. Pickel criticizes that the suggestions from youth parliaments are often not taken seriously. At the same time, the appeal for transparency and citizenship has gained importance in politics, which underpinned the consistently preferred implementation of participatory approaches to legislation.