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Revitalized democracy for resilient societies

Within the REDRESS project, we investigate how hybrid democratic innovations, in which combinations are made of consultation and voting, can supplement Dutch representative democracy.

  • The core of the REDRESS consortium consists of four different universities (Tilburg University, Utrecht University, Radboud University, University of Twente) and the Social and Cultural Planning Office.

  • Within the consortium we work together with scientific and social partners in the field of democratic innovation.

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Hybrid Democratic Innovations

How can ‘hybrid democratic innovations’, which combine forms of consultation (eg citizen forums) and voting (eg corrective referendums), strengthen representative democracy? That is the core question of the ‘Revitalized Democracy for Resilient Societies’ (REDRESS) project, for which partners and NWO have made a total of €2 million available in the context of the National Science Agenda for the period June 2021 – June 2026.

Our research

Icon Deliberation

deliberation,
in combination with …

Icon Voting

… voting

Representative Democracy Icon

Strengthening representative democracy

Icon Mixed methods

mixed methods research

Our partners

the broker
LSA logo
Ministe
logo prodemos
logo Ministerie van Infrastructuur
logo radboud universiteit
Universiteit Utrecht
Rathenau Instituut
Sociaal planbureau
Tilburg University
Vereniging-van-Gemeenten
WRR
University of Twente

Latest news

Democratic innovation: why would you do it?

22 June 2023|

Democratic innovation always sparks a lot of debate in the Netherlands. In this essay, Frank Hendriks addresses three common reservations about democratic innovation in the Netherlands - (i) 'Things aren't that bad, are they?'; (ii) 'renewal can also bring destruction'; (iii) 'this always backfires' - when discussing three key

Referendums: more than an emergency brake?

30 May 2023|

What if referendums do not only concern a determined proposal but initiators get the space to contribute alternatives? What if voters can give input on more concrete proposals while maintaining numeric and accessible advantages of referendums? And how can citizens' assemblies play a role in formulating referendum alternatives? Charlotte

Time for a deliberative referendum?

6 March 2023|

Critics say referendums would encourage uninformed dissent and political gridlock. In what ways might adding deliberation to a referendum process address such criticisms? REDRESS-researchers Frank Hendriks and Charlotte Wagenaar examined three specific models in which a citizen forum strengthens the referendum process by preparing a proposal, informing voters or

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