Action Citizen Will

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The Bürgerwille campaign was the first referendum in North Rhine-Westphalia .

It was carried out from January 16 to February 12, 1974 in order to maintain the independence of numerous smaller municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia. It was organized by the “Aktion Bürgerwille eV” association from Wattenscheid in order to save the city of Wattenscheid from being incorporated into Bochum as part of the municipal regional reform .

The association "Aktion Bürgerwille eV" emerged from the " Heimatverein Wattenscheid eV ", which reported in the daily press and at various political levels on the occasion of the North Rhine-Westphalian regional reform and the incorporation to Bochum in order to fight against the communal dependency of Wattenscheid. In 1972, this only led to the founding of the self-employed Wattenscheid citizens' initiative , from which the “Aktion Bürgerwille eV” association emerged.

The registration period fell in the middle of the carnival season . Despite this hindrance, around 720,000 voters from all over North Rhine-Westphalia entered the registration lists. This corresponded to around 6 percent of the electorate, which clearly fell short of the 20 percent quorum required . But especially in Wattenscheid, the incorporation met with almost complete rejection, which continues to this day.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Referendum "Aktion Bürgerwille" , website "Mehr Demokratie eV"
  2. ^ Sabine Mecking: Citizens will and territorial reform. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-486-70314-6 , p. 134 ff. (Chapter: Wattenscheid as the starting point for a nationwide protest initiative; preview in the Google book search).

literature

  • A memorable anniversary: ​​Aktion Bürgerwille is 25 years old. (PDF; 233 kB) In: The Wattenscheider. 23rd vol., H. 3, 1998, pp. 7-8
  • Jost Benfer: Reconciliation: 6 cities revolt. Documentation of the efforts of the Kettwig district between 1983 and 1990. (= series of articles on the history of Wattenscheider. No. 32). Home and Citizens' Association Wattenscheid, Wattenscheid 2009.
  • Sabine Mecking: Citizens will and regional reform. Democracy development and reorganization of state and society in North Rhine-Westphalia 1965-2000 ( Studies on Contemporary History, Vol. 85 ), Oldenbourg Verlag: Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-486-70314-6 .