People's request Limit state parliament: Citizen participation remains weak!

People's request Limit state parliament: Citizen participation remains weak!

Donaueschingen, Deutschland - A referendum for reducing the state parliament has so far only aroused moderate interest in the Donaueschingen, Hüfingen and Bräunlingen region. If you want to show your support, you can do this through a signature - either directly in the town hall or online. But the numbers speak a clear language: until October 31, 2024, only 72 citizens have registered in Donaueschingen, which can be considered rather low in view of 17,130. In Hüfingen there are only 54 entries, while Bräunlingen lag behind with 19 signatures.

participation remains behind expectations

The low participation raises questions. Is it disenchantment with politics or simply lack of interest in the concern? Beatrix Grüninger, spokeswoman for the Donaueschingen administration, emphasizes that the opportunity to participate has been clearly communicated. However, many citizens do not seem to be convinced. The FDP supports the referendum, while the other major parties who passed the electoral law in 2022 are not on board. It remains unclear why the citizens do not emit their vote more numerous.

The hurdles for participation are low: the official collection takes place in the town halls during the regular opening hours, and an appointment booking is not required. Citizens can register in Rathaus II in Donaueschingen, while there are similar opportunities in Hüfingen and Bräunlingen. The deadlines are clear: The official collection ends on December 10th, the free collection runs until February 11, 2025. Despite these simple conditions, the question remains whether the citizens want to actively participate in the political participation or whether there is simply no interest in the initiative.