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IR+R NEWS - news about democratic reform, citizens' initiative,
referendum, recall of elected officials. A service of 
Citizens' Initiative and Referendum I&R ~ GB
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IN THIS NEWSLETTER THERE ARE THREE ITEMS ::::::::::::::::::::

§ FOUND VIA COMPASS, A WELL-KNOWN UK-BASED THINK TANK.
"more direct democracy "would create huge progressive coalitions for 
civic, democratic, environmental, and societal change ...""

§ CITIZENS' REFERENDUM TO REMOVE SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S IMMUNITY FROM 
PROSECUTION

§ POWERFUL ALLIANCES FOR CHANGE THROUGH DIRECT DEMOCRACY
Many well-established civic and pro-environment group-alliances have 
endorsed the aims of "More Democracy"

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FOUND VIA COMPASS, A WELL-KNOWN UK-BASED THINK TANK.
Despite some typographical errors a spirited appeal for more, direct, 
citizen-powered democracy.

See:
Right to a Citizens Initiative and Referenda
“A law that allows people to directly determine, via referenda, 
important decisions of governance at a local and national level. ”
http://www.howtoliveinthe21stcentury.org.uk/submissions/right-to-a-citizens-initiative-and-referenda 

by Samuel Tarrow of UnlockDemocracy (Fusion of Charter88 + New Politics 
Network)

COMMENT BY I&R ~ GB

Good proposal, an idea whose time is overdue!

Starting up a reform campaign looks like a daunting task but we can be 
encouraged by potential support from "ordinary" people. Surveys done in 
the mid-1990s by MORI showed that more than seven out of ten approved 
the principle that a large number of citizens' should be able to demand 
a referendum. More recently a study of people "estranged" from 
politicians and parties -- determined voting abstainers -- expressed 
strong desire to make use of initiative and referendum procedures.

Samuel's prediction that more direct democracy "would create huge 
progressive coalitions for civic, democratic, environmental, and 
societal change that were empowered to make the change they campaign 
for" is a powerful call for a concerted reform effort. It won't suffice 
to convince a few MPs, although that would help. We need a campaign to 
inform and educate people, young and older, about I and R etc., so that 
citizens and groups become active across the countries!

I&R ~ GB
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org/

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CITIZENS' REFERENDUM TO REMOVE SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION

A law giving Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution as Italy's 
prime minister could be repealed after a petition of one million 
signatures was collected by the opposition.

Mr Berlusconi has been dogged by court cases for most of his political 
career but on coming to power for a third time last year he forced 
through the controversial law, which guarantees immunity to Italy's four 
most senior office holders, including the prime minister and president.

. . .

The petition was presented to Italy's highest court by the country's 
second biggest opposition party, Italy of Values, led by the former 
crusading anti-corruption magistrate Antonio Di Pietro.

It contains twice as many signatures as are needed under Italian law to 
force a referendum on the issue.

"The law is unconstitutional because it introduces a double standard 
establishing that the four highest state officials can't be tried even 
if they kill their mothers," Mr Di Pietro said as he arrived at the 
court in a van carrying boxes of signatures.

Italy's constitutional court must check the validity of the names before 
the referendum can be called, a process likely to take a few months.

More: 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/4162266/Silvio-Berlusconi-could-lose-immunity-from-prosecution.html

COMMENT by I&R ~ GB:

Berlusconi could lose immunity/Importance of electoral veto.

Italy is unusual in having the citizens' initiative at national level. 
Although this can only be used to annul a law or part of a law, and not 
to introduce a new law, it is a powerful democratic tool.

We need more democracy like this in UK and other countries. See our 
campaign at http://www.iniref.org /

Also in the USA there are campaigns to introduce I and R (nationwide 
initiative and referendum), such as http://vote.org /

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POWERFUL ALLIANCES FOR CHANGE THROUGH DIRECT DEMOCRACY

Among at least eighty (80) well-established civic and pro-environment 
group-alliances the following (sample) have endorsed the aims of "More 
Democracy", a 5000 member-strong group based in Germany. More Democracy 
(Mehr Demokratie e.V.) shares with I&R ~ GB (www.iniref.org) the aim to 
introduce the citizens' initiative and binding referendum at all levels 
of governance.

The full list of organisations with links to their web sites may be 
found here http://www.mehr-demokratie.de/497.html

EXAMPLES FROM THE LIST OF ENDORSER

Friends of the Earth


Society against cruelty to animals


Environmental protection league (country-wide alliance of citizens' groups)


Association of Energy Consumers


Society against Animal Experimentation -- Pro-Animal-Rights


Young Ecologists Society


Wind Energy Society


Natural Therapy Society


Nature Protection Society


Society for Protection of Animals, Germany


Friends of Nature Germany


Eurosolar


Pedestrians Association


Gene - Ethics Network


Green Youth


Green League


Physicians for Social Responsibility IPPNW (anti-nuclear-power)


Nature protection, Youth


Robin Wood (pro-environment)


Green Businesspeople


Vegetarian Society, Germany


Transport Club Germany (pro-environment, VCD)


WEED Global economics, Ecology and Development
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I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org /

Discuss or comment at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/democracy-forum
Donate via http://www.iniref.org/index2.html

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