Local democracy

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Local democracy refers to the rule of the people or citizens in local authorities. The notion formed in the 19th century of an opposition between the political state and the apolitical community and the associated shortening of democracy to the central state level is no longer represented; on the contrary, local politics is now considered a “school of democracy” and an important link in the chain of legitimation .

Self-management

The Art. 28 para. 2 of the Basic Law guarantees cities and towns of the Federal Republic of Germany the right to local self-government . This allows them to independently regulate and decide their own affairs within the framework of the law. At the European level, the European Charter of Local Self-Government seeks to guarantee the principles of local self-government and subsidiarity ; this Charter is supplemented by the European Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Local Public Life .

In Germany, the citizens elect the municipal councils and the mayor , local constitutions regulate local self-government and thus provide the framework for local politics . In the elections to the “ local parliaments ”, every person entitled to vote has the right to elect the local council , city ​​council and / or district council . There is also the possibility of participating at the municipal level through direct democratic instruments such as referendums and referendums . In addition, there are numerous other forms and instruments of citizen participation , especially at the municipal level .

democracy

Democracy is based on the sovereignty of the people and the political equality of all. According to today's view, the three core elements of democracy are: protection , participation and inclusion . It is inextricably linked with the validity of basic civil rights and the constitutional protection of the individual against the arbitrariness of the rulers, the state or the administration. Democratic participation can only be guaranteed if the following applies:

  • general equal right to vote ;
  • effective participation (opportunity to formulate your own preferences and incorporate them into decision-making processes);
  • Equal opportunities in asserting interests;
  • enlightened public.
  • individual as well as collective opportunities for participation;
  • conventional and unconventional forms of participation;
  • Decision on time;
  • different approval requirements, depending on reversibility (reversibility), durability and consequences of decisions;
  • free development opportunities for the opposition ;
  • Minimum level of social justice .

Democracy is also a system of rule . The individuals and groups combined in a (urban) society have different interests and values, but still require permanent regulations and decisions. These have to be enforced or even forced in order to be able to make decisions at all. The resulting conflicts are to be regulated or channeled, a mechanism for this is the majority rule . The majority rule presupposes that the minority affected by it is willing to submit to a numerical majority, which depends on the one hand on self-restraints by the majority and on the other hand on the general recognition of legitimacy (especially the majority decision ) on the basis of correct procedures (cf. . Legitimation through procedure ). Democracy is always subject to the danger of a “dictatorship of the majority” and the exclusion or even endangerment of minorities.

Reality of local democracy

In political science research, there is a noticeable excess of “ executive ” versus “ legislative ” politics in the municipalities. Contrary to the ideal democratic model, it is usually not the representative body that determines the administrative management , but, conversely, the local government, the local council (or city council). The causes are u. a. called:

  • Pre-formulation of decisions in the pre-parliamentary space;
  • “Opposition-free” zone of local politics, often at least in the large popular parties only in the election campaign different positions are adopted or alternatives are formulated or constructed;
  • the administration is rarely met with criticism, especially from the major people's parties; as a rule, the administration is protected from criticism from the citizenry and local politics are presented as pragmatic, non-alternative "factual politics";
  • Matters in need of regulation and relevant decision alternatives are mostly selected and presented by the administration and its management, local politics largely consists of following administrative decisions;
  • accordingly, local politicians succeed less and less in convincing the “base” (voters, citizens) that legitimizes them that the local political system is democratic and meets the demands of the base, and that voter turnout is falling.

There are still complaints in this context

  • the depoliticization of local politics;
  • the relocation of political decisions to inadequately legitimized bodies;
  • parliamentary information deficits;
  • a low level of professionalism among political leaders;
  • a competitive deficit of the parties;
  • the majority political apathy of the citizens;
  • the insufficient correction function of the local press .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rainer Olaf Schultze: Democracy . In: Dieter Nohlen , Rainer-Olaf Schultze (Hrsg.): Lexicon of political science . Volume 1. Munich 2010. ISBN 978-3-406-59233-1 . P. 137.
  2. ^ Kurt L. Shell: Democracy . In: Everhard Holtmann : Political Lexicon . Munich 2000. ISBN 3-486-24906-1 . P. 110 f.
  3. ^ Rainer Frey: Democracy, local . In: Rüdiger Voigt (Hrsg.): Concise dictionary for local politics . Opladen 1984, ISBN 3-531-21613-9 . P. 106 f.
  4. ^ Rainer Frey: Democracy, local . In: Rüdiger Voigt (Hrsg.): Concise dictionary for local politics . Opladen 1984, ISBN 3-531-21613-9 . P. 106 f.