The Passports to Modern Direct Democracy offer direct and easily accessible introductions to your political rights of participation at all political levels. There are many different kind of passports available in more than 30 different languages.
Traditionally, in most representative democracies, the power of citizens to make decisions at the ballot box was restricted to the elections of other people and parties to offices and parliament. However, in recent years more and more countries have adopted new possibilities and channels for citizens to make their voices heard—even between election days.
The Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy offers basic information about the tools of direct democracy. It introduces key definitions, describes various tools, and includes recommendations on how to use initiatives, referendums and plebiscites.
The European Passport to Active Citizenship offers "quick guides", factsheets, background information, pathfinders and navigators to all aspects of modern European democracy, including a toolkit of participation resources and a detailed manual on the European Citizens Initiative (ECI).
Local Democracy Passports like the Falun Democracy Passport (Sweden) are tailormade to specific jurisdictions and are use both in public and as a civic education tool
The Swiss Democracy Passport provides information on the principles, procedures and practices at all political levels in Switzerland - and is intended to be a useful and informative companion for anyone interested in the future of democracy - and for Switzerland as an interesting and fascinating example.
This edition of the Swiss Democracy Passport focuses on the contemporary interplay between indirect and direct democracy. We are interested in developing further editions with a different focus and in other languages. If you would like to work with us on such new editions - or if you have any feedback, comments, corrections or updates to this edition (2022/23), please get in touch.
The Swiss Democracy Passport can be purchased in physical form from the Swiss Democracy Foundation for a small fee and is particularly suitable for use in schools and educational institutions.
Authors Bruno Kaufmann, Stefanie Bosshard, Joe Mathews, Caroline Vernaillen
Publication 2023
Published by Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten EDA, Swiss Democracy Foundation
Language English
In cooperation with International IDEA, Zocalo Public Square, The European Economic and Social Committee, the City of Falun, Democracy Garage, Mehr Demokratie e.V., Omnibus für Direkte Demokratie, Korea Democracy Foundation, SWI swissinfo.ch, the Federal Chancellery of Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Ministry, the Center for Democracy Studies Aarau, Conférence Suisse des délégué-e-s l’égalité and CH 2021.
The European Democracy Passport, available in 24 official languages, facilitates citizen participation in the European Union, the world's largest transnational democracy with 28 Member States, 500 regions and more than 100,000 municipalities.
The European Democracy Passport connects people and ideas with institutions and decisions. With its advice and recommendations, the passport-style publication is a good way for citizens to make their voices heard.
Whatever you want to do as a citizen - complain, solve a problem, exercise your consumer power, debate or petition - this little booklet in your own language can be the key to success and change. Get it, use it and pass it on. It is your voice! It is your Europe! It's your passport to active citizenship!
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2020
Published by International IDEA, Embassy of Switzerland in Sweden, Swiss Democracy Foundation
Language Available in 24 languages, among them: Bulgarian, Danish, German, English, French, Greek, Irish, Italian, Coatian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slowakian, Slowenian, Swedish, Czech, Hungarian
Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy - Italian edition
The Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy offers basic information about the tools of modern direct democracy. It introduces key definitions, describes various tools, and includes recommendations on how to use initiatives, referendums and plebiscites.
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2018
Published by International IDEA, Embassy of Switzerland in Sweden, Swiss Democracy Foundation
Language Italian
Your Guide to active Citizenship and Participatory Democracy
The Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy offers basic information about the tools of modern direct democracy. It introduces key definitions, describes various tools, and includes recommendations on how to use initiatives, referendums and plebiscites.
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2017
Published by International IDEA, Embassy of Switzerland in Sweden, Swiss Democracy Foundation
Languages English, Japanese, Korean, Italian
Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy - Japanese Edition
The Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy offers basic information about the tools of modern direct democracy. It introduces key definitions, describes various tools, and includes recommendations on how to use initiatives, referendums and plebiscites.
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2017
Published by International IDEA
Language Japanese
Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy - Korean Edition
The Global Passport to Modern Direct Democracy offers basic information about the tools of modern direct democracy. It introduces key definitions, describes various tools, and includes recommendations on how to use initiatives, referendums and plebiscites.
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2017
Published by International IDEA
Language Korean
This publication was issued at the 2009 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy in Seoul, Korea. The booklet contained key information on the schedule, the participants and the issues of the conference.
Author Bruno Kaufmann
Publication 2017
Published by IRI Europe, Korea Democracy Foundation
Language English