Participation and Elements of Direct Democracy in the Czech Republic: Part I

Abstract

The article presents a case study focused on the definition, political discussion, application, and experience with direct elections and referenda on local, regional and national levels of the Czech political system in the context of participation and elements of direct democracy. The first part of the article (Part I) contains theoretical background, research design of the case study and data for local referenda based on authors’ own research; they are divided by topics into the original typology. The added value of the article should culminate in its second part (Part II, to be published in the next issue) with the analysis of electoral participation in local referenda, and this will bring us to the direct elections. At the end of Part II, an application of selected elements of direct democracy and direct elections is embedded in a European context and the main trends are analyzed. Such trends as well as the topic itself demonstrate the motivations of political actors and the relations among the different levels of governance in the Czech Republic.