New Initiative Aims to Strengthen Democracy Through Increased Participation from Citizens and Civil Society Organizations
The European Commission has taken a step forward in strengthening democratic processes within the EU by issuing a new recommendation focused on promoting engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil society organizations in public policy-making.
This recommendation, published on December 12, 2023, emphasizes the importance of including citizens' voices in political processes and creating a safe and supportive environment for civil society organizations. It highlights the EU's fundamental values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, and underlines the need for decisions to be made openly and as close to the citizens as possible.
The Commission's recommendation urges member states to actively support the participation of citizens and civil society organizations at all levels - local, regional, national, and European. The importance of using digital technology in political processes and developing media competence and digital skills is also highlighted to strengthen citizens' participation in online political processes.
A key focus of the recommendation is to encourage innovative forms of citizen participation, such as online and in-person deliberative and co-creation processes. This includes the use of digital platforms and e-governance tools to improve the interaction between citizens and governments.
To ensure a safe and favorable environment for civil society actors, the document calls on member states to take measures to protect these organizations from threats, criminalization, harassment, and other forms of criminal acts. It also stresses the need to provide financial resources to enable effective participation in political processes.
This recommendation is part of a larger "Defense of Democracy Package" from the Commission, which includes proposals to increase transparency and efficiency in the European Parliament's election processes.
""By promoting and protecting the engagement of citizens and civil society in policy-making, we are taking an important step towards strengthening democracy in the EU," says Didier Reynders, Commissioner.
This development is welcomed by many as an important step in increasing citizen participation and influence in political decision-making processes, which is fundamental for a vibrant and healthy democracy.
For more information and detailed reading, see the full document here.