Democracy means government by the people. Although many countries apply this label, nowhere do citizens actually decide the contents of the political decisions. In all so-called democracies, the people’s right to decide is indirect and implies that the voters elect a number of representatives to a legislative assembly, and in some countries also a president. Thus, it is common to distinguish between direct democracy where the citizens make their own political decisions and representative democracies where elected representatives make these decisions.

This book gives an account of the theoretical background for the distinction between direct and representative democracy; arguments for and against referendums are discussed; and Danish rules and practice are analyzed. Popular views on a more direct democracy are introduced as well as the views of the political partiers. Finally, rules on and practices of referendums in the other European countries are reviewed.

On this basis, the book criticizes a too sharp distinction between direct and representative democracy, and the concluding chapter offers an argument for further democratization of the Danish political system by introducing popular demand of passed bills.