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IR+R NEWS - news about democratic reform, citizens' initiative,
referendum, recall of elected officials. A service of 
Citizens' Initiative and Referendum I&R ~ GB
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1) FROM A RECENT LETTER TO AN I&R ~ GB MEMBER (TORY REFORMER?)


2) MORE DEMOCRACY IN FRG: THE ECONOMIST, DER SPIEGEL  Two review articles

3) RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OR ETHICS LESSONS?  Citizens' initiative



1) FROM A RECENT LETTER TO AN I&R ~ GB MEMBER

As you probably know, Douglas Carswell MP presented his "Citizens' 
initiative (legislation)" bill* in the House of Commons a few weeks ago. 
Apparently in response to that the HoC library has produced a paper on 
direct democracy, which is not bad.

I propose that we should attempt a campaign drive to influence input 
into the coming debate on this bill -- the second reading was announced 
for October 2008. You might wish to suggest an amendment for 
veto-referenda. In addition I would like to see the "initiative" given 
more bite ...;-)

More broadly, the time is ripe to step up the I&R ~ GB campaign. Why 
now? Because people across the country are (a) in favour of the dd 
principle (survey results) and (b) in recent years across the country 
there has been an impressive increase in (mostly local) 
citizen-initiatives which demand referendum. One I&R ~ GB campaign 
strategy is to recruit active volunteers. A plan for this can be found 
at a new/modified  www presentation available via the link "Contribute, 
work" on the front page of INIREF.ORG. Volunteers for the various tasks 
could start to act very soon -- please approach suitable candidates and 
spread the information.

About your remark on elected mayors. We should try to convince mayors 
and local councils to adopt I and R (and why not "recall" too). This 
idea has been included in our past appeals for action in the run up to 
local election. Of course, we need more people across the country to 
start applying the ideas ...

*D Carswell's bill
Video http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/7375745.stm
Bill 
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/citizensinitiativelegislation.html
Hansard 
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080430/debtext/80430-0004.htm#08043089000003


2) MORE DEMOCRACY IN FRG: THE ECONOMIST, DER SPIEGEL
Recent articles which illustrate the growth of citizens' direct 
democracy in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Spiegel Online 25th April 2008
"Citizens' Participation and Direct Democracy, a research group at the 
University of Marburg, has studied
the phenomenon and come up with statistics to corroborate the trend 
toward citizens taking matters into
their own hands. In the mid-1990s there were fewer than 100 referendums 
a year in Germany. Last year
there were about 300, with half of them ending in victory for the rebels."

The Economist (print edition) Direct democracy in Germany: When voters 
want a say
May 1st 2008
"Bavaria's ruling party, the Christian Social Union (Ed -- formerly an 
opponent of direct democracy), credits direct democracy with giving 
citizens a way to disagree with the government on single issues without 
voting for the opposition. Tempelhof (Ed. Recent topic of a referendum, 
Berlin's city airport) may close, but direct democracy will soldier on."


3) RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OR ETHICS LESSONS?
In the city-state of Berlin, Germany, the citizens' initiative Pro Reli 
proposes that school pupils should be able to choose to take either 
ethics lessons or religious education lessons. The Land's government, 
the Senat, prefers to maintain the status quo by retaining ethics as a 
compulsory subject for all pupils and allowing those who wish to take 
religion in addition.

In order to trigger a referendum which could overrule the Senat, Pro 
Reli must within four months collect 170,000 endorsing signatures.

More detail:  Religionsunterricht: Abgeordnetenhaus berät über 
Volksbegehren 
http://www.welt.de/berlin/article2015157/Abgeordnetenhaus_beraet_ueber_Volksbegehren.html

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About I&R ~ GB
We advocate the introduction of direct democratic procedures such as
citizens' initiative, issue-ballot, referendum, and recall in the 
countries of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  With over ten years' experience
we put forward proposals,  provide campaign resources, offer to provide
speakers, organise workshops and conferences.
Web site: http://www.iniref.org
Contact: info @ iniref.org