About Mehr Demokratie

Mehr Demokratie is the driving force for citizens' initiated referenda and a better electoral law. Every vote counts equally and everybody has the right to participate. That's what we stand up for.

Citizens committed to change founded Mehr Demokratie in 1988. Today we have thirteen regional branches, eight offices and members. Mehr Demokratie is the largest non-party organization promoting democracy in the European Union.

In Brief: Mehr Demokratie e.V.

  • Biggest non-governmental organisation for direct democracy in the world, impartial, not-for-profit

  • Campaigns, advice, scientific analysis, legislative proposals on democracy issues


Topics

  • Introduction of citizens’ initiatives and referenda at national level

  • Reforms of direct democracy at local and federal level

  • Reforms of the electoral system and the parliament proceedings

  • Democratisation of the EU

  • Strengthening of freedom of information

  • Strengthening citizen participation


Structure

  • 14 regional associations, 34 staff

  • Advisory board of trustees with 50 members from science, culture, politics

  • 9.795  members; 7.500 donators and supporters

  • Annual budget of approx. 2 million Euro

  • Financed by membership fees and donations, no state funding

  • Founding member of Democracy International

  • Partner organisation of OMNIBUS für direkte Demokratie


Results

  • Initiator of 39 citizens‘ initiatives

  • 5 million signatures collected

  • Initiation of the biggest constitutional complaint (with 125,000 supporters) of German history with Campact and foodwatch

  • Realised better citizens’ participation rights in about 30 cases. Criticised intransparaent and unfair rules; Recognised watchdog on democracy

  • Regular reports and rankings on direct democracy and the electoral system

  • Own magazine (“md magazin”)

Position paper: Rethinking and Reshaping Europe. Proposals for a Refounding of the EU


A redesign process of the EU will only succeed if it differs significantly from the path followedso far. We will need to discuss a redistribution of power between the four political levels (municipalities, regions, nation states, EU). The objective must be to transfer competences back to levels closer to the citizens. We see both the EU and the nation states have duties in thisdecentralizing process. The power accumulated at EU level requires stricter legitimisation thanbefore. Here you can download our position paper:

Download (PDF)

We are member of Democracy International - the global network for direct democracy.