Similarly,
Electronic collection signatures dops democracy:
Voting lifting in Italy, June 8, 2025. Moreover,
LapresseMore than a hundred popular initiatives. However, legislative referendums have been launched for four years in Italy at the national level. Therefore, If the introduction of an electronic identity card and an paraph collection platform promotes this use, obstacles remain. For example,
To launch, then bring a popular initiative or a legislative referendum in Italy, it was necessary to have a solid organization for a electronic collection signatures dops democracy long time, a plethora of arms and a garnished wallet.
“Each signature had to be certified by a notary. However, then officially authenticated by the commune of residence of the signatory,” recalls Riccardo Fraccaro. Furthermore, This 44 -year -old lawyer. Therefore, from the city of thirty, in northern Italy, was for fifteen months, between 2018 and 2019, the first and so far the only minister in the world in charge of direct democracy, a position he held in the office of the president of the Italian council at the time, Giuseppe Conte. Consequently, He had then endeavored to twist restrictions and obstacles to popular rights in his country.
Italy often uses the instruments of direct democracy in the same way as Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Furthermore, Thus. Furthermore, for fifty years, 88 national referendums have been organized in Italy on the initiative of citizens who have collected the necessary paraphs despite legal and bureaucratic brakes.
“Quorums were inscribed in the constitution by the founding fathers. Moreover, which were influenced by the fascist dictatorship and the 2e World War, ”specifies Riccardo Fraccaro. In addition, These safeguards. However, for referendums and modifications relating to the Constitution, aimed above all to protect the new Republic against attempts to take power, in particular by the Communists.
In Switzerland. Similarly, a country where popular rights are even more used than in Italy, the debate on the introduction of a digital identity (E-ID) and the possibility of collecting digitally raged signatures for several years already. In 2021. a first attempt to introduce an E-ID had failed significantly in the ballot boxes during a referendum which had ended in 64.4% of no. Concerns and fears in terms of data protection and their commercial use had tipped the balance. A revised project will be submitted to the vote on September 28. As in Italy, he limits the issuance of E-ID to public authorities.
This electronic identity not only opens the way to electronic voting. claimed for a very long time by the organizations of the Swiss from abroad, but also to the electronic collection of signatures. The call in favor of digitizing this collection electronic collection signatures dops democracy has further increased in recent months in Switzerland following the so. -called falsified signatures. In June. the Parliament adopted several motions in favor of such a collection, this after the introduction of the E-ID in 2026.
But since 2021. direct democracy has experienced a new boom in Italy, where since that date more than a hundred initiatives and referendums have been launched. On themes as varied as the legalization of cannabis. direct presidential elections, the abolition of hunting, marriage for all, the reorganization of federalism, the decriminalization of prostitution or the promotion of peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“We note that groups of people traditionally little interested in politics like young people. migrant populations are more committed,” said historian Lorenzo Cabulliese. He directs in Turin the Gaetano Salvemini reflection group who devotes himself to democracy. the analysis of the use of participatory processes at the local, electronic collection signatures dops democracy regional, national and European level.
According to him, three decisions contributed to this new dynamic. In 2019, the UN Human Rights Committee reprimanded Italy for its bureaucratic obstacles to popular rights. In 2021, the Italian parliament introduced thee-collecting. Then in 2024, the government opened a free public platform for collecting paraphs.
“Each voter and voter now has access to their fundamental rights,” he summarizes. He also adds that people with a handicap can today participate more easily thanks to the public digital identity system. “Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale” (spidExternal link). electronic collection signatures dops democracy Italy was also one of the first countries in the world to introduce this system in 2015. which has continued to be perfected.
This revitalization of direct democracy by digital means also sparked a public debate on popular rights. “The framework conditions of our democracy have changed considerably since the entry into force of the Republican Constitution. ” observes Oskar Peterlini, professor of constitutional law at the Free University of Bolzano.
He recalls that for the referendum on the abolition of the monarchy in 1946, “almost 90% of the electoral body had voted”. To validate the referendums, a provision was then introduced. This stipulates that in addition to the majority of votes. a participation of at least 50% of the electricity and voters is required. “This is why opponents to a project use this provision to make it fail. Either by boycott calls or by ostensible non-participation in the electronic collection signatures dops democracy ballot, “he notes.
In mid-June, the first referendums made possible thanks to electronic collection did not have the expected success. The five projects that focused on labor market reform. the facilitation of naturalization obtained a large majority of yes, but failed due to a participation of less than 50%. Additionally, The president of the far-right council Giorgia Meloni did not call for boycott as her predecessors. but went to a polling station in Rome to ostensibly renounce to vote in front of the flashes of photographers.
In response. electronic collection signatures dops democracy supporters of popular rights have launched the same day an initiativeExternal link Online so that this participation quorum is deleted in the future. Their text was deposited the next day already with much more than the 50,000 necessary initials. But the success of their text is not guaranteed, because the Italian Parliament must still debate it. The Turin historian Lorenzo Cabulliese expects the file to bang. Indeed. he says, unlike the so-called “abrogative” referendums, a popular initiative, when it is subject to parliament, can-in accordance with an internal regulation-being delegated to a commission, then be ignored.
Oskar Peterlini. who has sat several years in the Italian Senate as a representative of the High-Adige Popular Party (Conservative), argues that a compromise would be possible by half reducing the minimum participation required and doubling the number of signatures required. A vote would be validated with 25% participation (instead of 50%) for electronic collection signatures dops democracy a popular referendum. but with at least one million signatures – against half today – for a legislative referendum, or 2% of the electoral body (50 million votes). This would correspond more to the number of electricities. voters who are necessary in Switzerland for a popular initiative to be valid to modify the Constitution.
Text reread and verified by Mark Livingstone, translated from German by Alain Meyer/Op
Electronic collection signatures dops democracy
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