Local popular initiative: An account of its first use in France

Special report: Referendums: In the name of democracy?
By Raùl Magni-Berton
English

The local popular initiative has existed since the nineteenth century in Switzerland and in the United States, particularly at the local level. For the past thirty years, this tool of direct democracy has spread to a number of other regions and municipalities around the world. In France, however, it remains largely unknown. In 2016, the city of Grenoble implemented such a tool for the very first time. Through the issues, debates, and results of the first referendum in October 2016, this article aims to explore the reasons why it is so difficult to use such a tool in France.

Keywords

  • referendum
  • initiative
  • Grenoble
  • local democracy
Go to the article on Cairn-int.info