A leading political scientist is raising concerns over the burgeoning movement to introduce citizen-led initiatives at the federal level in Germany. Frank Decker, a professor of political science at the University of Bonn, argues that while the impulse for greater citizen participation is laudable, implementing direct democracy mechanisms risks undermining the efficacy of the parliamentary system.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Decker expressed skepticism about the benefits of direct democracy, warning that it could actively obstruct government policies. He posited a scenario where administrations, anticipating potential citizen vetoes, alter their decision-making processes, effectively leading to a system resembling the consensus-driven model prevalent in Switzerland – a significant departure from Germany’s current structure.
The debate comes as the “Mehr Demokratie” (More Democracy) association prepares to release a new study, the “Volksentscheidranking” (Citizen Initiative Ranking), evaluating direct democracy practices across German states. While the group champions expanded citizen influence, Decker criticizes what he views as the deliberate construction of unfeasibly high barriers to participation. He alleges that these hurdles are designed to create the “appearance” of broadened democratic involvement while rendering it largely ineffective, describing it as “dishonest” to offer citizens expansive promises that are never fulfilled.
He specifically referenced the contentious Berlin airport debate, where a citizen-approved plan to continue operations at the Tegel airport was subsequently disregarded by political leaders. Decker termed this inaction “a mockery” of the democratic process and underlined the need for a recalibration of the system.
Furthermore, Decker dismissed the practice of assigning “school grades” to German states based on their direct democracy participation rankings. He argued that such comparisons disregard the unique historical and political contexts within each state, pointing out that differing barriers in states like North Rhine-Westphalia, where thresholds for citizen initiatives are lower, do not necessarily translate into widespread citizen engagement. The professor advocates for a more nuanced approach – fostering accessible yet robust processes that enrich, rather than paralyze, the German political landscape.