Dr Andrzej Konrad Piasecki

SUMMARY

LOCAL DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

The author points out the fact that direct democracy has different shapes in the contemporary Europe. He thinks and explains that actualization of the researches of the local and regional communities are indispensable. He points out the tendency of the higher number and popularity of the referendum, mostly in Europe. The signifance of the local direct democracy in the European countries is in the spotlight of noumerous scientists, first of all, the political scientists. Based on the international conferences, where he participaced, the author gives fragmentary survey of the problems in the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Hungary, Great Britain and Italy. He indicates here, that all European countries differ in normative and empiric approach to the local democracy in local and regional communities. It is considered, primarily at the local level, that experiments using internet and mobile technology can provide expansion of the direct democracy and popularization of its new forms.

Key words: Local community, Regional community, Direct democracy, Referendum practice in Europe, Referendum