Voter turnout in direct democracy: A joint analysis of individual,referendum and community factors

In the context of an ever growing importance and usage of referendums around the globe, this article provides a comprehensive approach to analyse the determinants of participation in direct democratic votes. In the absence of conclusive empirical evidence about which factors drive direct democratic participation, studies tend to adopt election-specific findings and assume the determinants of electoral turnout to equally apply for referendums. Yet, a strict empirical test of these numerous determinants in a referendum context is still missing. By examining aspects stemming from both election-specific and referendum-specific contexts, this article aims to first test the applicability of common electoral theories of turnout for direct democratic participation and second to analyse the relevance of each factor when simultaneously examined with other contextual and individual factors. This holistic approach represents reality as adequate as possible, that is, to consider various factors that may simultaneously influence the individual decision to vote. Next to individual variables, the analysis particularly focuses on two contextual levels, the community a person lives in and factors linked to a given referendum. The discussion and joint analysis of competing factors addresses the problem of underspecified turnout models, which commonly prevents a detailed assessment of the relative importance of the determinants of turnout. The study uses registered data from the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, which provides official information about individual participation across 43 referendums in 45 communities. We match this individual data with referendum-related factors, such as campaign intensity and importance of the issues at stake, and community-level variables, such as wealth and urbanization. The results of our multilevel, cross-classified models show significant context-related effects, stemming mainly from the referendum and less from the community level. Still, the main driver of direct democratic participation is individual determinants, in particular citizens' past participation record.     

残疾人政治参与权利研究

残疾人政治参与权利的行使对于提高残疾人社会地位和政治地位起着举足轻重的作用。残疾人所享有的包括政治参与权利在内的所有政治权利都应该得到充分的尊重和保障,这是衡量一个国家文明程度的重要标志,也是建设社会主义政治文明和法治国家的必需。     

可持续发展的实施与公众的行政参与

在全球经济不断发展之时,尽管可持续发展战略早已提出.但在具体实施方面却少有成效,其原因不仅在于可持续发展理念的欠缺和制度的缺乏,更主要的是因为在实践中缺乏必要的公众行政参与.公众作为可持续发展的直接受益者和受害者理应成为可持续发展实施的关键.为保障可持续发展的实施,必须让公众融入其中,让公众参与到与可持续发展实施有关的行政立法和行政活动程序之中,并应保障公众行政参与权的实现.     

我国公众参与环境保护法律制度探析

我国环境法中公众参与仅仅作为一项原则已不能适应当代环境保护的要求,通过分析我国公众参与环境保护立法现状,提出完善我国公众参与环境保护法律制度中应努力解决的几个问题.     

论行政决策公开--从公众参与行政决策的视角

从公众参与行政决策的视角来看决策公开,决策公开和公众参与之间存在良性互动的关系。前者是后者有效实施的前提,后者是前者的民主动力。决策公开的目的是为了保障公众参与行政决策的有效性,鉴于此,决策公开不完全等同于政府信息公开,决策公开具有动态性、过程性和系统性。因此,除了应遵守信息公开的通行原则外,决策公开还应遵守其特殊的原则。同样,也应从公众参与行政决策流程的视角来确定决策公开的范围及例外。     

公共服务供给视角下的公民参与探究

公民意识和公民社会的兴起与发展为实现公共服务供给满足公共需求奠定了思想基础和提供了路径。政府作为公共权威的代表,需要通过相关路径选择发挥公民参与在公共服务供给中的积极作用,提高我国公共服务供给能力。     

进一步完善我国公众参与环境保护法律制度的设想

公众参与环境保护指公众有权平等地参与环境立法、决策、执法、司法等与其环境权益相关的一切活动。我国环境法中公众参与仅仅作为一项原则已不能适应当代环境保护的要求，本文通过分析我国公众参与环境保护立法现状，提出了完善我国公众参与环境保护法律制度中应努力解决的几个问题。     

关于推动厂务公开工作深入发展的思考

推行厂务公开是贯彻“三个代表”重要思想的具体体现 ,是企业改革发展稳定的内在要求。深化厂务公开要在服务大局、突出重点、融入制度、求实重效上下功夫。还要从企业管理体制和运行机制上解决好厂务公开制度化、规范化问题 ,把职工的知情权、参与权、监督权落到实处。     

刍论网络政治参与对执政安全的负面影响

网络政治参与在促进民众政治参与的同时,也可能危害政治体系的运行,危及执政安全,给现代国家和政府带来毁灭性的打击。因此,规范网络政治参与行为具有重要的现实意义。     

新时期的农村社会治安态势及防范研究

新的历史时期,农村治安呈现出新的发展态势,农民的生命财产安全和农村公共安全问题日益增多。违法犯罪手段更新换代、类型多样化,多重矛盾引发的群体性事件频发,特殊群体违法犯罪升级与恶化。自然、人文、社会等诸多因素激发了并助燃着农村固有的及潜在的矛盾与冲突。从战略高度转变思想理念,加快农村经济发展和精神文明建设,构建多方参与的农村社会治安防控体系,是维护农村社会长治久安的长效性保障机制。