Press release - Geneva, on April 18, 2007

Switzerland and Canada: the Internet and Direct democracy

Enitiatives.ch revolutionizes direct democracy

A new Internet tool aiming to promote and facilitate popular initiatives is born. Behind this project unifying ideas is Nicolas Durand, who wants to accelerate the process of direct democracy globally and to spread the Swiss political model to other countries. This April 19 marks the double anniversary of the introduction of the right of referendum in Switzerland (the first in the World) and the official launch of www.enitiatives.ch and www.enitiatives.ca

April 19, 1874 Decision by the people to introduce the right of referendum into the Constitution
April 19, 2007 Official launch of Enitiatives.ch, engine for a new generation democracy
A legal aberration at the origins of the project

Nicolas Durand's project started from an observation: "the legal aberration around gender inequality in the Swiss Constitution" affirms the founder of Enitiatives.ch. "This law left me only two alternatives: to circumvent it or do everything to change it".

The Swiss citizen active in the non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Geneva proposes citizens to create communities of interest around "virtual" initiatives. Each citizen can launch an idea on the website at various levels - communal, cantonal or federal. The projects voted on by the net denizens will be submitted to the people, who will accept it - or not - through a "traditional" vote.

Uniting around ideas, not a party

Enitiatives.ch gathers net-citizens around ideas without political affiliation. As soon as an idea at the federal level finds 25,000 supporters, the initiative process can be launched by a committee of committed citizens. This process can thus go very quickly. The government could also make decisions according to the projects discussed on the site.

Exporting Enitiatives.ch beyond borders

The concept of Enitiatives.ch is popular, even in countries which do not have a mechanism of direct democracy as sophisticated as Switzerland: the Canadian site (www.enitiatives.ca) will be launched tomorrow. "I am currently in discussion with European and Uruguayan partners as well as Indian members of the Movement for a Global Direct democracy. Most of them are convinced that launching other national sites will accelerate the process globally". If all goes as planned, we will soon have an enitiatives.in, and many others should then follow.

Enitiatives.ch - For a truly Direct Democracy : www.enitiatives.ch