Initiative (politics)
As the initiative (of lat . Initium : beginning , start) is called in politics initial steps aimed at the elimination of maladministration. A political initiative often aims at a legislative or regulatory act, i.e. the resolution of a law or an official order on a matter. In this context, one also speaks of “someone taking the initiative on question XY”. Taking a political initiative does not automatically mean that it will also be implemented in the intended sense.
The concept of political initiative is not clearly defined in its concrete meaning.
The political initiative as a formal act
In a narrower sense, the political initiative describes the submission of a proposal to a parliament with the aim of bringing about a resolution on a specific issue. This right to initiate legislative proposals, for example (the so-called right of initiative ), is only available to the groups named in the respective constitution of the regional authority , which are usually finally listed. As a rule, these are the parliamentary groups represented in parliament , groups of members with a certain minimum number, the government and the electorate .
Other well-known instruments for exercising the right of initiative directly by the population are:
- The popular initiative in Switzerland , with which citizens can bring a proposal for a direct democratic vote,
- the popular initiative in Germany or the referendum in Austria , with the civil treatment of a template can obtain in Parliament,
- the European citizens' initiative , which enables Union citizens to submit political initiatives to the European Commission under certain conditions .
The political initiative as a public invitation
In a more general sense, political initiative is understood to mean any form of (initial) public invitation to the responsible authorities to take action on a specific topic. In addition, such forms of initiatives always pursue the goal of creating public awareness of a grievance and thus creating political pressure to act. This right to public intercession is available to every individual and group in a free state and is closely linked to the right to freedom of expression . The political initiative as a public call for action is an important part of the formation of political opinion and an essential part of democratic culture .
Examples of initiatives by political actors as a public call for action are:
- the “Minimum Wage Initiative” of German trade unions
- the “Africa Initiative” of Development Aid Minister Dirk Niebel
- the alliance initiative of right-wing populist groups in France and the Netherlands in summer 2013
- the satirical initiative "Clean Hamburg" by a Hamburg company
The political initiative as an event-related form of organization
Another frequently used word meaning in politics describes the political initiative as an event-related association of citizens or social groups for the purpose of political work and influence on a specific topic. Such an initiative does not have to take on a legally fixed organizational form, but can be a more or less loose association of various actors. Initiatives that are perpetuated sometimes give themselves a recognized form of organization, for example by founding a registered association .
Examples of initiatives as event-related organizations are:
- in general, all kinds of citizens' initiatives
- the civil society initiative as a permanent alliance of civil society organizations in Austria
- With an international dimension, the Geneva Initiative as a civil society association for the solution of the Middle East conflict
The political initiative as a fighting term
In political contexts, the term initiative is usually associated with action aimed at the common good in the broader sense . Against this background, it can be attractive for political lobby organizations of all kinds to use the term initiative in their name in order to counter the accusation of merely representing special interests.
Examples of the use of the term initiative in the name of lobby organizations are:
- the D21 initiative as an association of actors from politics and business to overcome the digital divide in Germany
- the New Social Market Economy initiative, representing the interests of the metal and electrical industry in Germany
- the New Quality of Work initiative by federal ministries , social security agencies , employers and trade unions.
Individual evidence
- ↑ initiative minimum wage - No wages under € 8.50 of Food, Beverages and Catering Union and Ver.di . As of December 7, 2013: 2574 reports of dumping wages.
- ^ Gordon Repinski: Development Aid: Malice for Niebels Africa Initiative. In: Der Spiegel from January 20, 2013. Last accessed on December 7, 2013.
- ^ Benjamin Dürr: Initiative by Wilders and Le Pen: Europe's right-wing populists want to disempower Brussels. In: Der Spiegel of November 13, 2013. Last accessed on December 7, 2013.
- ^ Gesa Mayr and Frank Patalong: Satire Initiative: "Away with the homeless". In: Der Spiegel of February 27, 2013. Last accessed on December 7, 2013.
